Querencia
by Lindt Luirae
Summary: A quiet laugh rumbled in his throat, and Sakura discovered a new favorite sound. Or, in which Sakura falls head over heels for the lazy kid that sits at the back of her class. College AU. ShikaSaku. Cover by cherryminted.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys, Deni and Rama here! We've decided to team up and co-write some ShikaSaku goodies and this is the product. We hope you enjoy what we've spun up.**

 **This story could also be found on AO3 posted by Deni - (denilmo).**

* * *

Querencia; que·ren·cia \ kāˈrensyə \

(n) A place where one feels safe. A place where one feels home.

 **Chapter 1**

There was something just downright antagonising about the way traffic decided to agglomerate when one was already running late.

Sakura's white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel trembled minutely with her mounting anxiety; she had slept through her alarm clock for the first time in her life and the result was her getting stuck in the morning rush traffic when her class was about to start.

"C'mon…" She chanted under her breath, foot tapping out an impatient rhythm. If she didn't make it to class in time, she wouldn't be allowed to take the exam. Which would result in an immediate fail; which would lead to her grades dropping; which would ultimately result in her losing her hard-earned scholarship.

And that wasn't an option.

Deciding she hadn't much choice, Sakura parked her car in a nearby parking spot, grabbed her purse, and dashed down the sidewalks like a madwoman.

Several blocks and a sore ankle later, Sakura was finally where she was meant to be, chest heaving and sweat beading on the back of her neck, sticky and uncomfortable.

It earned her an elegant eyebrow arch from Kakashi Hatake, her professor, and a few weird looks. It didn't matter; she made it in time, everything else (including her haggard appearance) was inconsequential.

Taking her usual seat in the third row, Sakura huffed and sincerely dreaded her walk back to her car in the scorching afternoon sun.

* * *

It was as if the gods were out to get her. Maybe it was Ruin Sakura Haruno's Day and she somehow forgot to mark it down on her calender? It was looking increasingly more likely with every passing hour.

After finishing her exam (which she honestly felt she could have done better at), Sakura found her usual lab partner, Neji Hyuuga, to be absent. She was instead paired with their class's worst student, Kiba Inuzuka. Needless to say, Sakura exited that room smelling of pungent chemicals and ready to pull her hair out.

It didn't get much better from there when she realised she'd forgotten her money in the car -stupid, stupid, stupid!- and was now running on an empty stomach and severe caffeine deprivation.

The seven hours of school couldn't have passed any slower and then came the aforementioned dreaded walk back to her car. The humidity had her hair sticking to the back of her neck, itchy and uncomfortable.

Today sucked. And Sakura planned to give Ino-pig a run-down of everything over a cup of rosemary tea or else she might go crazy.

* * *

Sakura trudged down the familiar narrow street leading to the Yamanaka's flower shop, feet aching and tired. If she didn't get coffee in her system soon she might just drop dead.

After a night full of studying and barely any sleep, all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and forget the world for a little while, especially since it seemed out to get her.

The purple door of Yamanaka's flower shop opened with a chirpy ding and Sakura quickly stepped into the cooler inside, letting out a sigh of relief and immediately turned left to head for the counter—

Sakura yelped as she collided with something firm and stumbled back a step. Two arms immediately shot out to steady her and Sakura opened her eyes to glance at the unfortunate man she just headbutted with her large forehead.

He had warm brown eyes and a crooked smile and Sakura's back immediately straightened, her face flushing in embarrassment. "S-sorry, I wasn't looking."

He chuckled, a lazy, pleasant drawl, and let go of her. "No worries— are you okay?"

Sakura quickly nodded. "Excellent. However today is just not my day so I won't be surprised if I walked into a wall or something."

The stranger let out a startled laugh and levelled her with a politely inquiring gaze. "And you decided the flower shop is the place to go?"

Cheeks still warm, Sakura was about to start explaining that her best friend worked here when—

"Forehead?"

Sakura's head snapped into Ino's direction and the rosette smiled at the sight of her best friend with a dirt smudge on her cheek. "Hey, Ino-pig."

"What are you doing here?" Ino frowned at the clock. "Don't you have class till four?"

"The teacher let us out early." Sakura shrugged. "I had a day from hell, fancy some tea?"

Ino smiled knowingly. "I have a better idea— hey since we're all here, let's get lunch."

Sakura paused, echoing, "All...?"

"Yeah, you know Shikamaru right? You go to the same school." Ino shrugged her apron off and was already grabbing her purse.

Both she and Shikamaru turned surprised eyes on each other and he arched an eyebrow. "I don't believe we've met before."

Sakura agreed and Ino let out an exasperated groan. "Really? You've never seen each other? You're both supposed to observant and smart!"

Shikamaru chuckled sheepishly. "That could be remedied."

And then he stuck his hand out for her to shake, smiling in that same crooked, lazy way. "I'm Shikamaru Nara. What do they call you?"

Taking his hand and shaking it, all while she felt her cheeks warm again at the feeling of a big calloused palm engulfing hers, she replied, "Sakura Haruno."

"Pleasure to finally meet you, Ino talks a lot about you." And then he let go of her hand just as his words sank in and Sakura whirled to face her friend. She talked to Shikamaru about her?

Ino skipped towards the door with a grin, "That's right. Me and Shika, we're childhood friends, I've slipped your name there a few times in conversation, now let's go! I'm starving."

Ino, as usual, took charge and lead the way out of the shop. Sakura started forward, only to bump shoulders with Shikamaru as he did the same. They both chuckled, but his sounded more smooth than her nervous one, and she nearly cringed at herself. He held the door for her and gestured for her to go first. She uttered a quick thanks as Ino called for them to hurry up.

Ino hooked her arm around Sakura's as she joined her side, chattering about the new latte her favorite cafe was serving up. Sakura tried to ignore that Shikamaru was walking a few steps behind them; wasn't he a part of the group, too? Was he being polite and giving them time to talk? She could swear she felt his eyes on her, that prickling sensation that raised at the back of her head. She didn't dare chance a look back at him to see.

Ino guided them across the street and up to the rustic building. The large bay windows were decorated with flowers that Ino took credit for, and its door was a vivid sunny orange color that welcomed any passersby.

Ino opened the door and then scoffed as she glanced back at Shikamaru. "Those things will kill you."

"Anything in life can kill you if it's determined enough," he quipped.

Sakura watched as he took another drag from the cigarette resting between his fingers, the ember briefly glowing hot before he flicked it away. A plume of smoke left his lips, and while Sakura hadn't particularly fancied smoking, he made it look strangely attractive, fitting. It was almost like it might seem out of place for him to be without the smoke surrounding him like a halo.

They were shown to a cosy table near the rear. The girls sat together on one side of the booth while Shikamaru stretched out opposite them. The talk was light as they perused the menu and decided on what to get, and for a moment Sakura was feeling better after her horrid day. Then Ino turned and poked Sakura on the cheek.

"So, what made your day so awful?"

Automatically her eyes shot across the table to Shikamaru. He was watching her with mild interest, awaiting her reply. "Oh… I… it's okay. We don't have to talk about it."

Ino snorted. "Please if you're worried about Shika, don't be. He complains to me all the time."

The man in question sighed. "I do not."

"Oh, really?" Ino countered. "Just yesterday you called me to bitch about your mom making you take out the trash while you were taking out the trash."

"Only because I was in the middle of writing a paper and she could've done it herself, or at least made dad do it," he defended.

Ino shot her thumb toward him and smiled at Sakura. "See? So spill!"

Sakura looked between her companions and then caved. "It was awful!" She went on to tell them about how it all started when she slept through her alarm and how uncharacteristic that was of her. She put her face in her hands. "I probably looked like a feral cat by the time I made it to class, and then the exam probably could've gone better. And then Kaka-sensei issued us a huge assignment due by the end of the week."

Sakura missed how Shikamaru's eyes slightly widened or how his head tilted so he could look at her better.

Ino gave her a puzzled look. "But it's Wednesday."

"I know!" Sakura whined.

"That's some teacher you have," the blonde commented with a barely contained giggle.

Sakura dropped her hands and cast a pout at Ino. "Why are you laughing at me?"

She shrugged with a smile on her face. "I'm not."

Shikamaru sat up and tapped his forefinger on the table. "Did you say Kaka-sensei, as in Kakashi Hatake?"

Sakura turned away from her friend who looked like she was about to burst and met Shikamaru's questioning gaze across the table. "Yeah, I have him for Anatomy first thing in the morning on Wednesdays and Fridays."

Something akin to surprise flickered across his features. "So do I."

Sakura was also a bit shocked to learn they were sharing a class, and had been for three weeks since the start of the semester. They stared at each other in quiet realization.

Ino's shoulder trembled with contained laughter and kept bumping into hers, and then she couldn't contain it anymore. Soft peals of laughter flowed from her painted lips; she obviously found this far too amusing. "How are two of the smartest people I know so dense?"

Shikamaru smirked at the comment and the sight made her chest tighten in an oddly pleasurable way. Sakura found herself entranced and copied the gesture. How had she never noticed him before? Surely someone as good looking as Shikamaru would've been memorable; she knew she certainly wouldn't be able to forget that smile.

Ino's laughter began to die and Shikamaru sighed, exasperated, as his eyes tore away from hers. "Oh, come on, Ino, it wasn't that funny."

Sakura felt the tension fade away as the stare was broken and resisted the urge to press her hand to her chest. What the hell was that?

"Oh, to me it was hilarious!" Ino teased. She stuck her tongue out at her long time friend. "There, I knew something you didn't."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered under his breath just as the server approached with their food.

The rest of lunch was a light affair, with Ino stealing bites from everyone's plates. Even though Shikamaru didn't say much, whenever he did jump in, he always had something witty to add. Sakura considered Ino her best friend, yet she'd never met her other childhood friends. She idly wondered if she hadn't been so shy as a kid if maybe she would've met him sooner. But then again, she grinned as he chuckled, and felt oddly content basking in the setting sun with his calm aura surrounding them. It felt strangely like she was meant to meet him today, just like this.

Sakura wasn't sure when the last time it was she'd smiled so much. She tried thinking back as she counted out her share of the bill, but nothing immediately came to mind. Maybe she'd been studying too much, as Ino liked to insist. They thanked the owner on their way out and then headed out into the late afternoon sun.

Shikamaru walked with his hands behind his head, cigarette perched between his lips. Sakura couldn't help but glance at him from the corner of her eye. He seemed to be far away in thought, but his lips would twitch or he'd make some guttural noise as a reply as Ino and Sakura talked. He certainly had that cool, nonchalant look down.

They came to a stop in front of the flower shop. "You guys should come in! Doesn't Chouji get out of class soon? We should keep this going and hit up that barbecue joint."

Sakura shook her head with reluctant resignation. "I have to get started on that assignment for Hatake's class. But maybe next time?"

Ino frowned but nodded. "What about you, Nara?"

"Hey, I have the same assignment to do."

Ino rolled her eyes and muttered, "Please, I bet you could do it in your sleep." The blond gave a sigh of acceptance and grinned teasingly. "Fine. There's always this weekend. Go study or something instead. I swear I'm the only one around here who knows how to have fun."

Sakura gave her a quick hug. "I feel better, thank you. I'll call you later."

"Sure thing. See ya, Shika."

He threw up his hand in a lazy wave, and then Ino was heading inside, the charming ding of the bell fading as the door closed behind her.

Sakura looked up at Shikamaru, her chest tightening again now that she was alone with that disarming crooked smile of his.

He pulled the cigarette from his mouth and ashed it. "Are you nearby?"

"Oh… I'm parked at the lot down the street."

"Me too. I'll walk you."

Sakura almost cursed at herself as she felt her cheeks warm and heart flutter. "Sure, thanks."

They set off side by side, and every now and then smoke would drift over and tickle her nose. After the second time she scratched at her nose, he muttered an apology and flicked the cherry off the top of his cigarette and tossed the butt.

"You didn't have to—"

"It's alright, I'm not a jerk ya know."

"I never thought—"

"Relax," he assured her. "Ya know, for one of Ino's friends you're not what I expected."

Sakura was temporarily dazed by his comment, but she shrugged and smiled at him. "The same could be said about you, too."

A quiet laugh rumbled in his throat, and Sakura discovered a new favorite sound. "I guess you're right," he agreed.

Sakura pointed out her ride, a little red convertible, as they entered the lot from the sidewalk. "It was nice meeting you," she offered, knowing that they were about to part ways.

"Yeah, though I suppose we should've been past this point by now."

"I've never seen you in class," she admitted with a shy smile.

And then she could've sworn she saw the faintest blush on his cheeks. "I get there early and sit in the back."

Perhaps that was why she never noticed him? All she ever focused on was what was in front of her. Maybe she should start slowing down and taking a look around every now and then.

Sakura dug her keys from her purse, her steps slowing. "So I guess I'll see you Friday?"

"Yeah, I guess you will," he affirmed, the drawl of his voice deepening. "Have a good night, Sakura."

The bottom of her stomach dropped; now her new favorite sound was the way he said her name. "You, too, Shikamaru."

He lingered for a moment and then smiled as he turned away. He threw his hand up in passing, and Sakura watched as he walked on. A goofy smile stretched her lips as she unlocked her car and slid into the driver's seat. She pressed her palms to her face in an attempt to gather herself, when she realized she didn't ask to exchange numbers or anything.

She bowed her head against the steering wheel, and then resolved herself to ask when she saw him next. Now Friday couldn't come soon enough.

* * *

 **Note: Deni and I have decided amongst ourselves that we'll post this fic simultaneously on both and AO3. You can read it wherever you're more comfortable. Drop us a line or two, we'd appreciate it. -Rams**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Staring at the reflection in her body length mirror, Sakura adamantly refused to acknowledge the reason why she had put more thought than usual into her appearance today.

Her usually straight hair fell in soft curls that framed her face and she was wearing her favourite T-shirt, a pretty teal coloured V-neck one Ino brought her last summer.

The time read six in the morning; she had a whole hour to get to class and she planned to be there soon. Grabbing her car keys and purse, Sakura hurried out of her apartment, locked the door, and raced down the three flights of stairs leading out of her building.

The traffic was light today, enabling her to stop for a coffee and grab a light snack before making her way to Anatomy class with Kakashi Hatake. And sure enough, the moment she stepped into the semi-empty classroom, her eyes fell on a familiar dark-haired boy sitting at the back, eyes gazing wistfully out the window.

As if sensing her eyes on him, Shikamaru's gaze slid from the window to rest on the place where she stood. Their eyes locked for the briefest of moments, and for reasons she couldn't fathom, Sakura's cheeks flushed. She gave a hasty wave and ducked her head as she hurried to her seat.

She could practically feel his eyes burning holes into the back of her head and resigned herself to two very long hours as Kakashi sensei's slouched figure entered the classroom and began setting up.

Sakura, being the dedicated student, made notes religiously and attempted to direct her entire focus on the information being imparted on her. She had a feeling she failed miserably for her thoughts kept drifting to a certain dark-haired man whose gaze she could still feel lingering on her.

The rosette almost deflated with relief when Kakashi dismissed them with a falsely cheerful note to turn in their assignment and read the online lecture for he might decide on a sudden Q&A.

Students immediately packed up and filed out of the room, setting their papers on his desk as they left. Sakura took her sweet time packing her notes and finishing the lasts of her now cold coffee.

As expected, just as soon as she and Shikamaru were the only two left in the vast classroom, he approached her.

Sakura stood up just as he reached her side and she smiled amiably. "Hey, fancy seeing you today."

Shikamaru's answering smile was the same crooked one burned into her memory from two days ago and it made her stomach strangely tighten. "It turns out we _are_ actually in the same class. I could've sworn I've never seen you before, which is crazy considering your hair is hard to miss."

If her cheeks were as pink as she thought they were, well, there wasn't much she could do about that. "Maybe you were too busy daydreaming."

"Maybe," he agreed with an easy smile and then nodded his head towards her bag. "Got any other classes today?"

"Not until later," Sakura replied as she hefted her bag onto her shoulder. "You...?" Shikamaru shook his head. "No classes for me. Want to grab a bite?"

Sakura's heart did that same stupid flutter again. "S-sure. Do you have a place in mind?"

Shikamaru's answering grin extracted one from her as he said, "Oh, I know just the place."

Sakura followed him out of the classroom as they talked over Hatake's unconventional teaching methods. The rumours had been true about him after all; he was a difficult teacher that didn't cut any corners, even if his lazy demeanour suggested otherwise.

She had been so focused on listening to Shikamaru talk, on picking up the minute twitches of his features and feeling his voice as it invaded her ears and wrapped around her, that she hadn't noticed where exactly he was leading her until they came to a stop. She looked around the parking lot- three empty spaces and a black motorcycle were all that was there.

He chuckled at her confusion as he pulled keys from his pocket. "Ever ride on a motorcycle before?"

Her eyes darted between him and the mentioned motorbike nervously. "Um... no. I mean... they're fascinating and I've always kinda wanted to."

He pulled a helmet from his bag and held it out to her. "Let's get it crossed off your list, then."

She stared at him as he put the helmet into her hands. His brow arched at her in question. "What?"

"You mean, all you had in your bag was your helmet?" she asked incredulously. He laughed. "It's just easier to carry it around that way."

"But books and your work?"

He shrugged, taking the helmet she'd yet to put on from her hands, and set it on her head. She held her breath as he suddenly leaned in to adjust the strap and buckle it in place. Seeing him this close now she could see stubble beginning to grow out along his jaw and the delicate curve of his eyebrow. His gaze was focused on the task at hand and she couldn't help but admire the flecks of gold and amber in his eyes.

He grinned as he pulled away and then tested the fit. "Is that good? Not too tight?" She nodded. "It feels okay."

He reached behind her and pulled the other strap of her book bag up and to her other shoulder. "For weight distribution," he commented as if that explained everything. Sakura only nodded and readjusted her bag as he pulled on a pair of gloves. He picked a pair of sunglasses from his bag and slipped them on before he swung a lean leg over the motorcycle. He inserted the key and kicked up the kickstand, and seeing him sitting

there on it made her heart skip a beat. He looked so comfortable, as if he was at home on it.

"I'll hold it steady, just get on."

It was too late to back out now, wasn't it? Sakura took a deep breath and took a step closer. She put her hand on his shoulder and swung her leg over as he had. She adjusted herself on the seat and then gave him a thumbs up.

"It's going to be loud when I start it," he warned and then took her hand in his. She startled at the contact as it sent hot electricity through her- whether it was from the building anxiousness of riding for the first time or simply because it was him she wasn't sure.

"Do you see those pegs there?" Sakura looked down, noticing them for the first time, and nodded. "Put your feet there. The exhaust will be hot once we stop so avoid it unless you want to get burned."

"Noted," she replied, hoping she didn't sound too distressed. Sitting here now she was beginning to feel even more nervous. "What about a helmet for you?"

"I wasn't planning on having a passenger today... but don't worry. I won't go too fast. I've had this bike for a couple years and never crashed. You'll be safe."

He pulled her hand to his waist and set it there, then dropped his touch over it. "Hold on here, I need control of my arms, okay? If you want to stop, tap me three times."

Sakura nodded again, mentally chanting _three taps for stop_ over and over.

"I know this is a lot, but one more thing. When it comes to corners the bike will lean. Try to stay neutral, if you lean too much it'll be hard to keep the bike under control and we could wipe out." She squeaked as he tilted the bike to the left, her grip tightening on his waist. He chuckled. "Try to keep focused on my inside shoulder in turns. It'll get easier. Are you ready?"

She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "Ready."

Shikamaru brought the engine to life and the entire bike seemed to tremble under its power. She could've sworn she heard him laugh, and then she realized she had wrapped both arms around him. He patted her arm and held his hand up in an okay sign. It was now or never and she resolved to follow this through. She gave him another thumbs up and then the bike began to roll away from the parking lot.

The movement, although expected, still came as a surprise and she clenched her eyes shut. There was a slight lean as they left campus and then they were off. She could hear the growl of the engine as he accelerated, could register the sound of the gears changing. The wind whipped around them and it was terrifying, and yet also sort of exhilarating. It felt kind of like riding with the top of her car down, only magnified by a hundred.

On one hand, she couldn't believe she got on a motorcycle with a person she'd only met just the other day. But on the other hand, her gut said she could trust him. He seemed knowledgeable and careful... and her gut rarely steered her wrong. She just had to get over the novelty of this experience.

She centered in on Shikamaru; his body was solid, secure, in front of her. And he was so warm, and she belatedly realized just how close she was pressed to him, clinging to his waist like a lifeline. She turned her head and was amazed by the beautiful whirl of the scenery as they passed. Everything was so bright, so warm, and she never noticed how much she missed as she was usually the driver everywhere she went.

Shikamaru began to brake and Sakura felt herself being pushed forward into him. Her head bonked into his back and she apologized, although she was sure he couldn't hear her over the noise. His hand tapped hers and he gave her another okay sign as he put his feet down to balance at the stop light. She nodded with a smile, and this time she was more prepared for the acceleration as the light turned green.

The wind licked at her face, and it felt so good; the sun, his body heat, and the cool air was such a nice contrast against her skin. Her head tilted as she peered at his profile and his complete focus on the expanse of pavement ahead of them. He was completely oblivious to how the wind whipped his hair about, and she grinned as she followed loose strands billowing in the air. Sakura could see nothing but an endless ocean of blue sky and Shikamaru's hair and it was peaceful. It was... strangely perfect.

Sakura attempted to remain as neutral as she could while Shikamaru expertly manoeuvred a series of streets that grew more narrow until he pulled into a small parking garage. He curved his hand around her calf and pointed to the exhaust as a reminder, and then gestured that she was safe to get off. She took a step back as she found solid ground again, giving Shikamaru the time and space to dismount. She unclasped the straps of the helmet and pulled it off, holding it out to him as he finished taking off his gloves.

He chuckled as he took the helmet and set it on the seat of his motorcycle. "Con of wearing a helmet? The helmet hair," he commented as he brushed his fingers through her cotton candy strands. His touch was careful, light, and yet it still made her heart do that ever-increasingly annoying thump.

She laughed with him, and then pushed through her nervousness as she lifted her hand. "I think helmet hair might be better than whatever you have going on here."

His hair was so silky beneath her fingers as she smoothed the strands kicked up by the wind. Her gaze fell from his head to his face and she met his chocolate brown gaze; it was soft yet serious somehow, and it took all of her attention away. She was trapped momentarily, and then Shikamaru laughed as he took a step back and ran his hand over his hair. "A small casualty. Come on, this place is just up the street."

"So," Shikamaru began as he pulled a lighter from his pocket. "What did you think of your first ride?"

"It was fun! Kinda scary at first, like when you're on a roller coaster and the car stops at the top of the hill before the first plunge. But I can see why people ride."

The top of his zippo lighter clicked as he opened and shut it. "I figure it's about as close to feeling like I'm flying as I'm ever gonna get."

"Is that why you ride?"

He grinned at her. "Haven't you ever wanted to fly?"

Sakura pondered his question for a moment and then fell into step beside him. "If that's what flying is supposed to feel like, then definitely."

Shikamaru laughed and then the conversation came to a lull. They walked in comfortable silence, and Sakura took the time to study the way the sun played across his profile, turning his hair a shiny, rich brown. He really was an attractive guy- it still surprised her to think she'd never noticed him.

Shikamaru was also quite different from what she'd expected. From afar, she'd venture to say he looked intimidating. From her position next to him, however... he emitted the sort of warmth that put her completely at ease. He smiled easily, and his laugh made her chest tighten strangely and his eyes were the colour of warm coffee on a cool winter morning.

They came to a stop in front of a small, antique coffee-shop with a large overhead sign that read Tiffany's. The wall was made of hardwood and had a large rectangular window framed by a sill and lined by tree-leaves and roses that wound around the edges invitingly. Sakura immediately fell in love with it the moment she stepped foot inside and her nose was assaulted by the lovely smell of coffee beans and pancakes.

"Oh!" She was unable to swallow down her little sound of delight. "Pancakes? Waffles? _Coffee?_ I think you're my new favourite person Shikamaru! I haven't had sweets in _forever._ "

The man in question chuckled with a bashful hint in his tone. "I thought you might like it. Come on, I know the perfect sitting spot."

He lead her around the counter that stretched across one wall and into a cosy little nook by the window that oversaw the small garden outside.

Sakura eased herself into the comfy armchair across from Shikamaru and sighed contentedly. Calm background music and quiet chatter permeated the pleasant atmosphere.

"Do you come here often?" Sakura asked, intrigued, as her eyes scanned her surroundings, noting the nice contrast between the dark wood ceiling and the creamy walls.

Shelves lined with green potted plants were scattered across the walls, fairy lights hung across the ceiling, and baristas fluttered about with warm smiles, taking orders and delivering food.

"Just when the mood strikes." He smiled crookedly.

"And it struck now?" she inquired with a teasing smile, resting her cheek on her upturned palm and regarding him with interest.

Shikamaru's smile turned bashful, and it was kind of magical, the way it made her lose her breath with his next words. "I'll be honest. You kind of remind me of sweets."

Sakura felt her cheeks flush, but she held his gaze. "I do...?"

He nodded, his eyes drifting to rest somewhere above her shoulder and his cheeks colouring ever so slightly it could easily be dismissed due to the lighting. "Your hair and... well, you have a lovely smile."

 _Oh._ Butterflies erupted in her stomach rather violently.

It was then a young blonde woman stopped at their table, a smile on her face. "Hello and welcome to Tiffany's! Have you guys decided on what to order?"

Sakura hadn't even touched the menu, but Shikamaru seemed to have a fair idea of what he wanted to get. "I'll have a mocha and the Farmer's Fruit Stand pancake."

By the time Shikamaru had given his order, Sakura was already hurriedly skimming through the menu looking for anything with caramel, fingers drumming against the tabletop. "I'll have the Caramel Stuffed Pancakes and a latte, please." She decided, putting the menu back in place and crossing her arms over the table.

The blonde nodded and jotted down their orders, leaving with the promise that it wouldn't take too long to ready them.

"So," Shikamaru drawled, falling back into his seat with a slouch, "you're an unfortunate med student, too."

"That I am," she agreed with a grin.

"Whatever made you want to do medicine?" he asked, arching a delicate eyebrow.

"Well, I like chemistry," she admitted. "And it intrigues me endlessly... But when everything else gets too boring I remember I'm here for my dad. He was really sick when I was younger so I had to help mom take care of him a lot, even though he always told me I should be out playing. He's better now, but I want to be able to help other families. What about you?"

He looked all too resigned. "My mother nagged me about it until I agreed."

Sakura's jaw dropped. "That's it?"

"If you knew my mother, you wouldn't be saying that. If she can nag my friends into cleaning the house for her, she can do anything."

"But what about what you want to do?"

He shrugged and made a non-committal sound. "I didn't really have any plans for myself after high school."

"Nothing?"

His shoulders bobbed again. "Doctors make decent money, so at least there's that."

"Wow, this guy," Sakura teased, trying her best to keep her voice flat and unimpressed. "Next thing you'll tell me is that you got accepted to Uni on your first try."

"Didn't you?" he countered.

Sakura's face went white and she averted her gaze. It had taken her two tries to get accepted as she failed the entrance exam by three points the first time around. Who was this man? This nonchalant, lazy, intelligent man that seemed to come out of nowhere. She studied so hard and wanted this so badly, and here he was just breezing by simply cause his mother nagged him to do it for long enough.

He seemed to pick up on her distress and cleared his throat. "I mean... I studied really, really hard..."

"Stop."

"Really hard," he muttered.

She chuckled. "It's okay, congratulations on getting accepted so easily. We're both here in the end, right?"

"Right," he agreed with a small smile just as the waitress returned with their orders.

Shikamaru's was littered with fruits and powdered sugar whilst hers was dripping caramel in a way that made her mouth water. The moment the waitress left with a smile and 'have a good meal!' Sakura was already digging in.

"Oh, this is so good!" She moaned, caramel and butter mixing on her tongue in an exotic combination. She washed it down with a sip of her latte and sighed. "I've needed this for so long."

Shikamaru was chuckling quietly. "Sweets make people happy don't they?"

"Definitely," Sakura agreed. "I already feel better. I'm not even thinking of that exam we had on Wednesday."

Her companion let out another amused sound. "That's good. I'm sure it went okay, anyway."

Sakura sighed, taking another sip of insanely good coffee. "I wish. I studied so hard for it too! But organic chemistry is so difficult."

"I can help you if you want...?" Sakura looked up in shock to meet equally surprised brown orbs. He looked nearly as taken aback by his offer as her. "I mean, I've never struggled with it and if you feel like you need some tutoring, I'm free most days..." he hedged on after an uncertain pause.

Sakura's eyes were wide as she whispered in a voice full of awe, "You'd do that?"

Shikamaru shrugged nonchalantly, like he hadn't just offered to help her study something she'd been struggling with for years. "Yeah, sure. We can get together before the finals and go over it."

And then something occurred to her and she shuffled through her bag for her phone, smiling bashfully. "This reminds me. I never got your number..."

He laughed, a pleasant, butterfly-inducing sound bubbling forth from between thin lips and settling around her like a blanket. "Oh yeah, here."

The rosette grinned happily as she handed him her phone; the day just seemed to be getting better and better! First a ride on a motorcycle, then pancakes and free tutoring- and now his number was saved in her contacts under Shikamaru Nara. Today was definitely a success.

 **Hey guys, we hope you enjoyed this update! It took a bit longer than anticipated because of the holidays and we usually don't post a new chapter until the one after it is done. Writing chapter 3 took a while but we love it and can't wait to share it. Until next time! -Rama**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The sky outside was a cool blue, the afternoon sun centred right above, just out of her sight. Sakura knew she should be focused on what Kurenai sensei was saying, but her brain was too occupied moving in slow circles as she replayed the morning over and over in her head.

After having delicious pancakes, Shikamaru had dropped her back at the entrance of building seventeen where her afternoon class was to take place. He had smiled at her, one side tilting more than the other, warm brown eyes dancing beneath the sunlight, his head tilting adorably as he regarded her. "Well, this is it."

"This is it," she agreed, barely keeping a hint of sadness from seeping into her voice. Leaving Tiffany's warm and joyful atmosphere to return to the real world left her feeling forlorn.

Her stomach sated, and body relaxed, all she wanted was to lie in bed and bask in the warm light that would be drifting from her bedroom window right about now. Instead, she was stuck taking notes about bonds.

"Alright class, this is it for today, remember to review the online lecture before next class." Kurenai sensei's voice finally filtered through her thoughts and Sakura let out a sigh of relief and got to packing.

"Sakura." Neji's familiar voice interrupted her and she turned to find him standing just behind her.

"Hi, Neji." She smiled at him, noting how uncomfortable he looked. "Feeling any better?"

He nodded, a strand of long brown hair escaping the otherwise pristine bun by the nape of his neck. "Yes, I'm fine now. I was wondering if you'd lend me your notes? I've missed a few classes."

She wondered how much he needed those notes to actually come and ask her for them. He was always rather reclusive, she would go as far as to say he was shy.

"Sure," Sakura chirped, grabbing her chemistry notebook off the table and handing it to him. "Here. Please return it to me by next class."

He nodded again. "Thank you."

And then he stalked out of the class in quick long strides. She barely held back a giggle— he clearly wasn't used to asking for stuff.

Maybe she should set Ino loose on this poor soul; it would be hilarious… and cruel. _Jeez Sakura, when have you become so sadistic?_

She exited the room shaking her head at her own thoughts and decided she would stop by the flower shop for a hangout. She still felt bad for declining Ino's offer on Wednesday. Sakura definitely wanted to meet this Chouji guy— Ino's other best friend, apparently.

The drive to the Yamanaka's flower shop was peaceful, filled with the quiet humming of the radio and the warm sun rays fanning over her side. It was vastly different from the atmosphere she walked into upon her arrival.

"Forehead! You're here!" Ino cried happily. Her hair was a surprisingly and unfairly beautiful mess, apron tied around her waist, and a whole collection of ribbon lay twisted on the counter in heaps among pins and leaf cuttings.

Sakura looked over the disaster with a cautious gaze. "Everything okay?"

"The junior school called and gave us an order to fill for a special committee festival. I've got to make fifteen identical table pieces, and then three bouquets."

"That sounds like a lot of work."

"Not with two of us doing it!" Ino countered, her eyes alight with mischief.

"Oh, you've got someone to…" Sakura paused as Ino's brow lifted pointedly. "You mean me," the rosette deadpanned.

"Oh, Sakura, thank you for offering to help. You're my best best-friend," Ino said with a grin as she reached her arms out to embrace her.

Sakura sighed. "You mean I'm the only one you can con into working for you."

" _With_ me," Ino amended as she pulled Sakura behind the counter.

The rosette chuckled as she caught a spare apron tossed her way. Combing her fingers through her hair, Sakura pulled it back into a ponytail. She watched as Ino gave instructions on how to arrange the flowers and secure them with a proper wrapping.

Sakura copied her as she picked up each flower. "So, what are your plans for after this?"

Ino shrugged. "I think Chouji wanted us to get dinner later, then I'd like to convince everyone to go get a drink or sing some karaoke or something. I haven't had a proper night out since that weekend Hinata got sick out the window of Tenten's car."

Sakura pulled a face at the memory. "Ugh, that shouldn't count."

"Tell me about it."

"It's the weekend, and I've survived, so I'm all for a drink."

"Great, I'll need you in my corner if we're going to convince Shikamaru."

At the mention of his name, Sakura's whole body seemed to warm. "He's coming, too?"

"Yup! My mom says that his mom thinks he 'stays in too much for a young man'," Ino answered, putting on the best impression of her mother. "He basically just comes so he won't have to listen to his parents ride his ass to do something besides lay around like a bump on a log all day."

Sakura snickered. "Is he always so lazy?"

Ino got quiet for a moment and then sighed. "That's just Shika. It's not that he's actually that lazy, he just prefers to waste energy on whatever he finds deserving of it… which isn't much."

Sakura tied off the ribbon of the table piece she was working on and then started another. She wondered what kinds of things Shikamaru liked; she wanted to ask but didn't want to push for information. She could picture what he may look like when genuinely excited about something - his eyes would light up and his little smirk would morph into a fully crooked smile; maybe his cheeks would flush with happiness and he'd laugh in that way that made her chest tighten and her heart skip a beat- and it was far too cute.

Ino's elbow suddenly knocked into her arm, bringing her out of her daze. "What are you daydreaming about?"

"Nothing! Nothing… it was just a long day," Sakura replied with a laugh she hoped didn't sound too nervous. Sheesh, she couldn't believe he was invading her thoughts already! So much that even Ino noticed.

Sakura gave a mental push to stay focused, indulging Ino in conversation, and soon they were done. Sakura began to place the small wrapped arrangements into their respective dishes while Ino cleaned up their mess.

Gentle music filled the air, wafting from the small radio in the corner and filling the silence pleasantly. Sakura hummed to herself as she worked, her mind and body relaxing— this was exactly why she loved the Yamanaka's flower shop so much, it never failed to be absolutely therapeutic.

The doorbell chimed, signalling the arrival of a customer. Sakura looked up just in time to see Shikamaru stepping inside, tugging his earphones free.

He froze for a split second upon seeing her, but then his face broke into a warm smile and Sakura's heart fluttered as she returned the gesture, raising her hand in a small wave. "Hey, you."

"Hey." He approached her, hands fiddling to put his earphones away. "Didn't expect to see you here."

Sakura shrugged, fighting a grin off her face. "It seems we're just meant to keep running into each other, huh?"

He gave Sakura her favourite crooked smile. "Seems so."

They held each other's gazes for a moment, Sakura wondering why her stomach was twisting itself into multiple knots by the second, and then Shikamaru looked away just as Ino came into view.

"Shika!" Ino grinned. "Hello."

"Yo." Shikamaru waved as the blonde approached them, broom in hand. "Ready to go?"

"In a bit. I just need to finish cleaning. Besides Chouji isn't here yet." Ino shrugged. "Help Sakura put away all these if you want." She gestured to the mess on the counter with a careless sweep of her hand.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru sighed, watching Ino leave to the back of the shop.

"You don't have to help!" Sakura hurried to assure him as he joined her behind the counter, but it earned her a devastatingly handsome smile for her efforts.

"It's alright," he said, his voice dropping conspiratorially. "I don't mind too much but I gotta keep up appearances of being a complete and total lazy ass."

A startled giggle burst through Sakura's lips as she started fussing around the counter. "Not in front of me?"

"I can make an exception." He winked at her as he started organising the counter. Sakura was glad for his momentary distraction for her stomach clenched and she found herself fighting down a grin.

She helped him along, their elbows brushing occasionally, and with the soft motion came pleasant goosebumps. Soon, the counter was as good as new and Shikamaru was dusting his hands. "There."

Sakura smiled, about to thank him for his help when the door chimed again, distracting her. The door opened wide and in waltzed a big-boned guy with messy brown hair tied at the nape of his neck and braided down his back. Upon seeing Shikamaru, he beamed. "Yo, Shikamaru!"

"Fashionably late as always, Chouji." Shikamaru chuckled, moving around the counter to greet his friend.

 _That's Chouji?_ Sakura thought with surprise. He had a warm smile, and kind brown eyes, and his voice was deep and slightly throaty, perfectly matching his appearance.

"Who's the chick?" Chouji whispered.

Shikamaru grinned as he turned toward the girl in question. "This is Sakura, Sakura this is my friend Chouji."

She gave a small bow of her head and waved. "Nice to meet you."

Just as he was about to reply Ino came bursting from the hallway. "Chouji!" He caught the blonde as she leapt at him, and twirled her in a tight hug.

Sakura watched on, amusement dancing in her eyes, as Ino's laughter echoed in the shop.

"Yes! I'm so glad you made it!" the blonde exclaimed as he set her down.

"You act as if you haven't seen me in ages," Chouji countered.

"Excuse me for loving my friends."

Chouji reached over and pinched her cheek, and Sakura was surprised that Ino didn't slap him for it. In fact, her smile only grew before they clapped hands together. "We're going to the best place for dinner!"

Chouji's eyes lit up. "You mean-"

Ino nodded. "Barbecue!"

If there was ever an actual display of hearts in the eyes, Chouji captured it perfectly right then. "Ohhhh awesome! You're the best, Ino."

"I know," she commented off-hand, and then turned to beam at Shikamaru. "It's been weeks since all three of us have been together!" Then Ino thrust her closed fist forward. "Ino!"

Sakura nearly giggled when two matching fiery stares turned on Shikamaru. He sighed as he took a step forward, but it did little to hide the smile. He popped his fist against Ino's. "Shika."

"Cho!" Chouji boomed as his fist completed the circle.

As if remembering her presence, Ino broke apart from them and bounded over to the counter. "You guys did a good job! Thanks. Come on, Forehead, let's go!"

"Are you sure it's okay?" she muttered as Ino pulled on her elbow.

"Of course! You're my friend, too."

Sakura removed her apron, and Ino took it from her and tossed it onto the counter. Sakura smiled at the boys as they joined them, and then they were walking out together.

As they ambled to the restaurant, the trio gave Sakura a rundown of how they met, explaining that their friendship went back generations. She even learned that all three of their fathers (and grandfathers, and great-grandfathers) had served in the military together. And so they had all known each other when still in diapers. She had no idea that they went that far back.

But it was sweet listening to them chatter about it, about how so much yet so little changed. She longed for their kind of bond— not the unmistakable friendship, but rather the sibling-like bond between the three of them as they teased and tried to get a rise out of each other.

Sakura was an only child — a lonely one because she had always been shy - and as such, lacked the necessary social skills to make herself a few friends and she was often bullied for it. Thinking back on it, if it weren't for Ino, she would've had a bleak childhood, devoid of any enthusiasm.

Shikamaru's head suddenly tilted back to look at her and he smiled a little, slowing down his pace to match hers. "What do you think you're doing? No one walks alone with us. Ain't that right, Ino?"

"Hell yeah, Shika." The blonde threw a determined fist in the air and intertwined her elbow with Sakura, tugging her into the middle of their small group.

The rosette's heart swelled with happiness as she let the comfortable atmosphere engulf her and tug her in completely. She really could get used to this.

A bottle of shochu was ordered as the group settled around a grill in the warm bbq house. Chouji was beaming as he raved about how this place offered the best side dishes. Sakura learned that Chouji was currently enrolled at the Konoha Culinary Institute, and so he was entrusted with choosing the meat.

He ordered short ribs and pork belly, and poured everyone a drink. The pickled sides paired so well with the warm meat, and the shochu flowed as freely as the conversation. Sakura cut herself off from drinking once she was done eating; she still had to drive, she explained, even though Ino groaned and said she should just stay the night. As much as she wanted to, she still had _some_ studying to do.

The idea was found hilarious by Chouji who slapped Shikamaru on the back as he laughed. "You could learn a thing or two from her, Shika!"

Shikamaru sighed and went to reply when Ino butted in. "No way! No offence Sakura. I just think that Shikamaru is perfect how he is."

Sakura looked over to Shikamaru with a soft smile, feeling her stomach flop as he laughed at something Chouji said, and she had to agree with Ino.

The rest of the weekend was spent doing laundry, studying, and cleaning her apartment. Ino had text messaged her some photos of them singing karaoke after she had parted ways with them that night. Chouji and Ino made quite the pair, taking photos together with huge smiles.

Her phone buzzed again and this time it was Shikamaru. _Library, Tuesday 1. Will that work for u?_

She stared at the message with a knit brow when she remembered that he had offered to help her in her class. Her face started to warm as she typed up her reply. _Sounds great. I'll see you then!_ Then for good measure, she added an emoji and sent it. She waited idly by her phone, hoping he'd reply, but nothing ever came.

Maybe he didn't like texting? Maybe that was enough of an exchange for him? Either way, she felt a little disappointed, but at least they had a study session coming soon. She could use it, and having him there was an added bonus.

* * *

Monday passed by excruciatingly slow -even slower than usual- and Sakura had to wonder if she could attribute this to her excitement for tomorrow's study session. It was a big possibility, after all, seeing as she couldn't stop thinking about it.

Shikamaru had only texted her once since deciding their study session only to reconfirm their meeting at one. She was slightly put off by how short the exchange was, but she wasn't feeling confident enough to strike a conversation to lengthen it.

Sakura wasn't particularly a texter but she found herself constantly opening her messaging app, fingers hovering over the keyboard as a strange longing twisted her heart. She supposed she couldn't be blamed for it because in the little time she'd already spent with Shikamaru, she had quickly come to discover how fun his company was.

No wonder Ino could overlook his lazy and detached demeanour in favour of being his friend. He made up for it with a great -albeit sarcastic- sense of humour and intellectualness.

Sighing aloud and wondering why he was taking up the majority of space in her thoughts, Sakura prepared for bed and hoped for a good night's sleep and a dark-circle free face the next morning.

* * *

Forget a good night's sleep, that was majorly wishful thinking on her part. She got about five hours, but she did wake up strangely energetic.

Getting dressed was always a pain but Sakura made sure to put in as much effort as her lazy bones could and finally settled into a pair of comfortable, cuffed jeans and a white sweater.

Her coffee mug called longingly to her from the kitchen table, but she was in too much of a hurry to stop and enjoy one. And that was the story of how Sakura nearly dozed off in her nine a.m. lecture and almost got caught.

Despite that, Sakura headed straight for the library at one instead of getting her much needed coffee, figuring it could be an excuse to ask Shikamaru to hang out after their study session. She didn't realise how silly her thought-track was until she had her books on the table and then wondered what was wrong with her.

Feeling fidgety all of a sudden, Sakura abruptly stood up and was about to head out to get a cup of coffee just as Shikamaru walked in, bag slung carelessly over his shoulder, and gave her one of his crooked smiles.

Her heart jumped to lodge somewhere between her lungs and throat, but she couldn't help but return the gesture. Goddammit, why was her stomach knotting itself into a mess all of a sudden?

"Hey," he said softly as he came to a stop on the opposite side of her table, hand clutching at the chair in the corner.

"Hi." She breathed, nails digging into the palm of her hand to stop the minute tremble that zigzagged down her spine and quickly sat down. She really hoped he couldn't see just how nervous she was.

He sat at the edge of the table, next to her, his knee bumping hers lightly and Sakura bit her lip to withhold another shiver at the feeling of his warmth on her leg. She had the sinking feeling she'd make a fool out of herself before the end of their session and wasn't looking forward to that no matter how much she enjoyed his presence.

"Are you all set?" he asked as he retrieved his notebook out of his bag and settled comfortably into his seat.

Sakura nodded, edging closer to him while internally warning herself to not mess up and say or do something stupid.

"Good." His smile did stupid things to her insides and Sakura almost despaired at the unfairness of it all. Why did she always fall for guys so fast? Sure, Shikamaru was unlike the assholes she'd liked in the past, but it didn't make it remotely okay to already be attracted to him!

It had to be his eyes— she'd always been a sucker for dark eyes… or more likely, it was his smile. She'd never been left quite so breathless by a smile before… he had a genuine air about him, too, the kind of laid-back, lazy nonchalance that made her feel secure in the knowledge that he wasn't judging her.

"...is basically what it is. It's really simple you just need to understand what kind of information the question is looking for." Shikamaru finished and Sakura blinked, realising she zoned out for the majority of what he said.

 _Dammit!_

Mortified and wholly ashamed of being so careless when Shikamaru was taking time out of his day to teach her, she began to apologise, mumbling timidly that she'd appreciate if he went over it again.

"Sure." He gave her that same smile that gave her butterflies and his gaze seemed to linger on her mouth for a second, but then again it could have been her overactive imagination being a new brand of inconvenient.

Shikamaru started over and Sakura fought to absorb every word he said, but halfway through she found herself admiring the quiet whisper of his voice and the way the words seemed to vibrate through his chest on their way out, coming out deep and smoky and making her skin tingle.

"...like I said before, they combine to…"

 _Focus, Sakura._ Gods, what _was_ wrong with her?!

"...if you want, I can teach you a shortcut to memorising this bit here, it's a total pain." He chuckled and her eyes flickered fleetingly from his eyes to his mouth and back.

There was something there in his gaze; she didn't quite have a label for it, but it made her stomach tighten in a strange way, especially when two, deep brown irises slid to her mouth and lingered there for long enough that she was sure it wasn't her imagination this time.

A loud smack echoed from the other side of the library, making both of them startle and Shikamaru quickly looked away, evidently flustered.

Sakura had hoped that the disturbance would've made whatever was there between them dissipate, but it didn't. She spent the next hour doing her best to focus on the words coming out of Shikamaru's mouth, and not on his actual mouth. She scribbled notes just to keep her fingers busy. It was challenging, but she at least seemed to understand the current concept a bit better afterwards.

As she packed her bag she tried to not focus on his leg still touching hers - even after she moved it- almost as if he was doing it deliberately. No, she shouldn't think that way. There was no way he was interested in her the same way she was interested in him… right?

Both of their hands fell over the last book on the table and she turned to look at him. She found him staring at her intently and she slowly met his eyes. "I was just going to give you the book back," he explained quietly, his cheeks darkening.

She smiled as she tucked her hair behind her ear with her free hand- she didn't want to pull her other one away from his touch that still lingered on her. "Thanks."

Neither said anything for a long moment nor could they tear their gazes away from each other. And perhaps it was her limited boyfriend experience, or her expertise in romantic comedies, but she thought that maybe, _maybe_ , he was going to kiss her.

But then Shikamaru cleared his throat and looked away, removing his hand from hers. And just like that, the moment was over. "Ah, I have to run to the store before heading home. I'm glad I could help you."

Sakura nodded in agreement. "I really appreciate it, you have no idea."

He stood, taking his book bag with him. "I'll see you in class tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'll see you."

For a small moment he looked like he wanted to say something else, but then he smirked at her and said goodbye. Sakura watched him go and then dropped her head onto the table with a thud. "Owww," she groaned. "Ugh what is wrong with me?"

The funny, unsettling, yet warm feeling she had in the library stayed with her through her evening class. And on the drive home. And as she ate dinner. And took a shower. She wondered if Shikamaru was still feeling it, too, and what 'it' was. She sat on her bed and looked over at her phone. A notification light was blinking, so she picked it up and swiped the screen. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw Shikamaru's name.

She opened the message and grinned as she read it. _Another study session Thursday?_

Her fingers flew over the keyboard: _Sure, I'd like that. I'm sorry if I seemed strange today, I didn't get a lot of sleep and it was hard to focus._ Her finger hovered over the send button. That sounded like a lame excuse didn't it? She huffed and hit send anyway.

A few minutes later her phone chimed. It was Shikamaru again and she could barely contain the smile as she opened his reply. _It's ok. I don't sleep much at night myself._

She grinned at the new information he'd given her and typed back. _Is that why I caught you napping?_

 _I wasn't napping I was still learning. Ever heard of hypnopedia?_

Sakura nearly snorted. _It doesn't work that way._

 _Says the person being tutored by me._

She chuckled to herself, but then her heart did that painfully hard thump. _Yeah, thanks again btw._

 _My pleasure ;)_

Sakura wanted to scream. His pleasure? It was _his pleasure_ tutoring her? And what was with the winky face? Was he flirting or just being friendly? It was hard to tell after that pleasantly suffocating warmth she'd experienced with him in the library.

Her heart began to race as fast as her fingers over the keys. _Okay, I'm just going to put this out there, and don't think I'm crazy, but what was going on in the library? I mean when I'm with you everything just feels different, lighter and heavier all at once. I like spending time with you and I don't want to ruin any of that by saying something but I can't ignore it anymore. I feel so drawn to you, so relaxed when I'm with you, and I don't know why. I just know that I feel something and keeping it inside is driving me crazy. Am I crazy? Or do you feel it too?_

Without thought, Sakura hit the send button and then tossed her phone onto the bed. She stared at their conversation, reading her message over again, and then she mentally wanted to kick herself. She sent that! Her chest tightened with anxiety. "I'm so stupid," she muttered to herself before picking the phone back up. Maybe she could save herself- and some dignity. But then her eyes widened in horror as she noticed the ellipses at the bottom of the screen indicating he was typing up a response. Her heart skipped a beat and a stuttered breath left her as she cursed. "Oh, fuck."

* * *

 **I would apologise for the cliffhanger but I don't feel sorry enough for that mwahahah.**

 **I really hope you guys are enjoying this as much as us, writing this had been so much fun! I absolutely can't wait for you to find out what happens next, it gets better and better I promise. Drop us a line, let us know your favourite scene so far!**

 **\- Rams**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

It was like high school all over again - sitting frozen in place as her teacher called their grades out loud, palms clammy and heart racing a mile a minute. Sakura couldn't quite decide what to do with herself. She wanted to toss her phone across the room and bury her face in her pillow and maybe scream in frustration. But at the same time, her tight grip on her phone wouldn't loosen no matter how many times the little bubble that indicated Shikamaru was typing disappeared and reappeared.

Sakura knew she couldn't take back what she sent (no matter how true it was) but that didn't mean she wasn't already regretting it with every cell in her body. This was just absurd! She'd never forgive herself if this destroyed the budding friendship between them.

Dammit, why was she so stupid? She'd known the guy for all of a week and already she was blurting confessions to him.

Her phone suddenly dinged and Sakura nearly jumped out of her skin. Her heart started banging earnestly against her ribcage and she fought to swallow down the bile rising in her throat. It took her three shaky breaths before she was able to muster up the courage to view his text.

 _I really like spending time with you too, and I don't think I've ever voluntarily socialised with people besides Ino and Chouji before. So no, you're not crazy. I do feel drawn to you too. I didn't want to say anything because I didn't want to scare you off. But seeing that you feel the same way is kind of a relief, I thought I was going crazy. I do think we should take it slow though. I'd hate if we ruined this friendship._

Sakura hadn't realised she was holding her breath until it promptly left her in one shuddering exhale, and suddenly it was as if her heart might jump out of her chest and abandon her body altogether. Holy shit.

All anxiety left her body to be replaced by violent butterflies and now she was struggling to suppress a grin. It was almost too good to be true. Sakura couldn't recall the last time she had liked someone and discovered it was mutual.

She hurriedly typed out a reply. _It is a relief! And I totally understand what you're saying. I don't want to ruin what we've got either. So, yes, let's take it slow._

His reply came much faster this time. _Damn, I hope this isn't how you felt when I took too long to reply._

Sakura rolled over onto her stomach. _Well… how do you feel? I'll let you know._ She tacked on a smiling emoji for good measure.

The typing bubble appeared and disappeared a few times before he answered. _Really dizzy tbh, I don't deal well with nerves._

Sakura smiled to herself. _Tell me about it. If you think I was awkward at the library you should see me on exam day._ She sent the message and then quickly added another. _I'm sorry though, that I made you feel like that. You certainly know how to make a girl's heart race if it's any consolation._

 _Well you certainly know how to flatter a guy._ Came his reply with a laughing emoji.

Sakura smiled as she typed, imagining his soft laugh. It helps that you make it so easy.

 _Annnd you know how to make them blush, too. Aren't you quite the talented one?_

 _I don't know about that. I'm not as talented as someone who claims to absorb knowledge through hypnopedia._ Sakura couldn't stop grinning as she hit send and awaited his reply.

It came seconds later. _Hahahaha. In my defence, we learn to adapt where we're lacking. I was never good at being interested in things that don't interest me._

Sakura hummed as she typed out her next question. _Then what do you find interesting?_

His reply was instantaneous. _You._

Sakura's chest welled with giddiness and she couldn't contain her grin. _And now who's the one talented at making someone blush?_

 _I saw an opportunity and took it :-P but seriously, you are quite interesting._

Sakura huffed through her burning blush. _No, I'm not. Besides my hair I don't have anything going for me._

 _I'm inclined to disagree._

Sakura shook her head as she typed up her next message. _It's amazing how you do that… make me smile so easily. It's nice._

 _Well, you do have a very pretty smile._

 _You're doing this on purpose aren't you?_

 _It's working though isn't it?_

Sakura couldn't help smiling and admitting that yes, it did indeed work. She had planned to sleep at a reasonable hour today but it became increasingly unlikely as their conversation flowed freely and comfortably as the hours ticked by, unnoticed by either of them.

She learned that they were both only children, Shikamaru claiming that his parents found him enough of a handful to swear off children altogether. He had admitted that he used to refuse to take baths, and would be a complete pain when his parents decided to go out.

It made Sakura giggle but it ultimately lead to her imagining Shikamaru as a little boy and she found herself struggling not to coo at how adorable he probably was.

She also learned that he didn't handle anxiety well either, which really came off as a complete surprise. In the little time she'd known him, he always seemed so self-assured and calm. Her memory took her back to a few days ago when he had offered her a ride on his motorcycle and how he had radiated a sense of confidence and serenity. Being in his presence was strangely grounding, and although he never failed to give her butterflies, he did make her feel completely at ease.

It was only when they started talking about how lazy both of them truly were that Sakura realised it was two in the morning and she had about four precious hours of sleep to catch.

Sakura let out a long yawn as her fingers typed out: _Shoot, is it really two?_

 _Seems so. Do you want to sleep?_

 _Not really… but I kinda have to. You too._

Shikamaru seemed to hesitate before sending the next message. _Wanna ditch tomorrow's lecture? We can always catch up in our study session on Thursday._

Sakura gaped at the screen. _Whoa, I never thought I'd say this but you're a bad influence!_ It was also kind of alarming that Sakura was seriously considering his offer and she found herself typing: _Besides, what would we do?_

 _I can think of a few things._

Although she was sure he didn't mean it that way, Sakura found her mind drifting to thoughts of them kissing, his fingers tangling in her hair and his mouth straying to her neck to leave a trail of hot kisses.

Flushing at the impromptu thought, Sakura quickly shook her head clear just as her phone dinged with his next message. _There's a concert happening tomorrow by the city centre. What do you say we sneak into it?_

 _Sneak in how exactly? Wouldn't we get in trouble if we got caught?_ Sakura couldn't believe they were having this conversation and that she was really, truly, deliberating this.

 _We won't get caught, I promise. Just trust me, okay? It'll be so much more fun than Anatomy with Kakashi- no offence to him but his voice makes it difficult to stay awake._

Sakura snorted. Oh yeah, Kakashi drawled a lot. She quickly made up her mind and hoped she wouldn't regret it. _Alright, fine. Fine. I'll ditch class and sneak into a concert. One condition though._

 _What's that?_

 _You take me for another ride on your motorcycle._

 _Deal. Let's meet at the campus in the morning before class and go from there._

Sakura's smile happened automatically, her giddiness momentarily overpowering the sleep that was moving in. _I'll see you then. Goodnight Shikamaru._

 _G'night Sakura_

* * *

Sakura could barely sleep that night, even though she knew she should. She was too excited about her date - was it a date? - with Shikamaru and the fact that she had never _ever_ skipped a class before. But she was looking forward to the experience, and his company.

The alarm went off far too soon for her liking in the morning. She initially hit the snooze button, but then jerked awake remembering that she wasn't getting up for school; she was getting up to see Shikamaru.

Sakura rushed out of bed to get ready as fast as her tired body would allow. She wanted to wear shorts, but the weather had been in that limbo between warm and cold. So she settled for the safer choice and put on jeans and mid-sleeve lavender shirt. She grabbed a navy jacket to throw on top, just in case. She thought about fixing her hair up, but remembered the atrocious helmet hair, and the not so atrocious feeling of his fingers combing it out.

Finally, she checked the clock and then rushed to get her things. She didn't want to be late.

The air was chilly outside, the skies an icy blue and she was immediately glad that she had worn something relatively warm. But it was a nice day either way, the breeze was refreshing and the stillness of her surroundings made her feel alive in the sense that it felt like she took centre stage in her life.

She found Shikamaru in their appointed location, leaned against his motorcycle, cigarette perched precariously between his lips and hair strands swaying idly in the breeze.

Her mouth instantly dried at the sight of him in a dark grey jacket and she had to take a moment to appreciate it. He was surrounded by the halo of his smoke, next to his bike and looking right at home there.

Sakura parked her car nearby, hurriedly grabbed her purse, and locked her car before making her way to him. Excitement built in her chest and butterflies swarmed her stomach as he noticed her approaching.

When he saw her, his mouth quirked around his cigarette and he raised a gloved hand in greeting, causing her heart to almost skip a beat. She was way in over her head, she thought as she came to a stop just in front of him and he handed her a cup of coffee, smile slightly mischievous, and definitely charming. "Ready for an adventure?"

"Absolutely." She gave him a brilliant smile as she accepted the coffee and took a sip. "Thanks for the coffee."

He shrugged, smile still fixed in place. "You're welcome. You look pretty, by the way."

Sakura lifted her cup, hiding her smile behind it. "You're looking pretty good yourself."

A plume of smoke flowed from his lips along with his chuckle. "You sure you want to take my bike? It's kinda chilly."

She nodded. "Birds fly in all kinds of weather, right?"

His smile grew. "Right. Okay then, once you finish your coffee we can go, little bird."

"Hey! I know I'm short, but you're not _that_ much taller than me."

"I could use you as an armrest."

She playfully shoved his shoulder, huffing without any real heat. "Your giant pineapple head doesn't count as extra inches."

Shikamaru let out a dejected sigh. "You just had to go ahead and destroy my dreams."

Sakura muffled a laugh and took a sip of her coffee. "Oops."

There was a stretch of tense silence, the electricity between them due to their proximity too vivid to deny, and Sakura found herself resisting goosebumps.

"So what is this concert we're sneaking into anyway?"

"It's a local rock band that I follow. It's an acoustic set up today so it should be pretty chill," replied Shikamaru, tossing the butt of his cigarette to the asphalt road and crushing it with the sole of his boot.

"Oh, that's cool." The rosette hummed, taking short rapid sips from her coffee. "You like rock music?"

"You can say so." He chuckled. "I like a lot of things when it comes to music."

"Do you by chance know of the band The Founders?"

He smiled, his eyes brightening. "Their debut album is one of my favorite albums ever."

"Mine, too. Valley of the End is an amazing song."

"If you like The Founders, you'll like this band, too."

Sakura smacked her lips as she finished off the rest of the coffee. "Great! I'm excited!"

After she threw her coffee cup away, Shikamaru held out a second helmet to her. He helped her strap it on and then checked the fit again. Butterflies swarmed Sakura's stomach like they had the first time she climbed onto the motorbike, only this time she was prepared for the initial take off. She wrapped her arms around his stomach as they sped away from the University. The chill didn't bother her as Shikamaru's body took most of the hit, but she certainly didn't pass up the opportunity to hold herself close to him, especially when the warmth of it wafted through his clothes and engulfed her.

Maybe it was yesterday's impromptu confession that had her heart racing as fast as his bike, but she felt elation settle into her bones. Were it not for her sturdy helmet, she might've nuzzled her face between his shoulder blades.

He drove deep into the city, farther and farther away from their campus. The more distance he put between them and the building, the more her nerves eased and she found herself entirely forgetting about the school day she was deliberately missing.

She could already anticipate the fun they'd have, and how much of a good day it'd be before they even got there. The giddiness only increased when they disembarked outside a fenced area beside the city centre where many other vehicles were parked.

It seemed like the giant parking lot was being turned into the location of the event, it was surrounded by waist-height fences and littered with a couple of security guards. Beyond the barrier and at the farthest edge was a stage surrounded by a couple hundred people chattering excitedly amongst each other.

"Alright," Shikamaru said, grabbing hold of her hand and nearly startling her out of her skin. She felt her cheeks flush at the contact; his hand, although it held a few callouses, felt smooth against her own. "Just follow my lead okay?"

Sakura nodded, her mouth too dry to verbally respond, and followed Shikamaru's lead. They entered the mall via a side entrance and circled to a brightly lit ice cream shop at the far end. Swallowing her confusions, Sakura watched the distantly familiar guy behind the counter greet her companion enthusiastically and quickly usher them through the 'staff only' door at the back, and through another door labelled as 'exit'.

Cool air wafted over her face as they stepped back outside and Sakura found herself inside the concert, at the edges of the stage. Shikamaru hurriedly walked them through the crowd and they pushed their way to the front line where the band was finishing setting up.

The beautifully fair-skinned man that had been sitting and tuning his guitar, stretched out an arm and lowered the microphone. He swept his equally pale locks from his face and Sakura glimpsed the markings on his forehead and the heavy red makeup lining his under eye. "Hello everyone! Thank you for showing up today!"

A cool breeze swept by and Sakura shivered, scooting closer to Shikamaru's body heat. If he noticed he said nothing, his eyes fixed on stage as the man introduced them as Kimimaro and The Sound Four and began playing their first song.

The speakers amplified the sounds of the acoustic guitars and her body buzzed with the gentle vibrations rocking the ground. Excitement built through her as the main singer, Kimimaro, trilled into the microphone and his previous soft crooning escalated to a full crescendo as he lead into the chorus.

And despite how captivating the scene was, half way through Sakura looked at Shikamaru, and like a spell everything became background noise, even the singer's icy voice quavering about the existential crisis of his heart couldn't tear her attention away.

She could feel the drum line vibrate through her, her heartbeat just as loud in her ears, but the sound of the cheering crowd seemed to dissolve into nothingness, the passionate lyrics a mere rumble in the back of her head.

And almost as if sensing her gaze on him, Shikamaru's face tilted in her direction and their eyes met and Sakura's heart began racing in earnest. He smiled, a genuine tilt of his lips, and dark, dark eyes flickered momentarily to her own lips. Sakura's breath was lost somewhere between her mouth and lungs.

Her eyes involuntarily dropped to his mouth, watching as his lips parted a fraction and he exhaled. A shiver rattled her spine and her eyes jumped back to his gaze on her.

She could've sworn he was about to kiss her, but then he turned back to face the stage and she was left with the bitter taste of disappointment at the back of her throat and fervent adrenaline coursing through her veins. Perhaps it was too soon to expect him to make a move, but a persistent longing sat inside her, wishing he'd throw caution to the wind.

So what if they took it quick? Their attraction was mutual, their likes and dislikes similar, and their hangouts fun and interesting. The idea that hand-holding, kissing, and other activities could be added to the mix gave her near-violent butterflies.

Sakura, too, turned back to the stage, her fingers itching to reach for his but she stubbornly kept her hand captive by her side. She didn't want to be the one to initiate contact, no matter how silly that sounded.

So she focused on the band; they were one of Shikamaru's favorites and he had invited her along to hear them. She wondered if she could learn anything about him from listening to the music he liked, and she was already thinking of which band to ask him about next. The acoustic set was going nicely so far, if she ignored the way her whole body felt on edge with his presence. Gods, this was really silly of her wasn't it?

But even as the song bled into the next, and the next, she couldn't shake the feeling that was consuming her. She felt like he was staring at her, his eyes burning holes into her, seeing through her, like he was calling for her attention. But she didn't dare look, nervous of being trapped in that deep, dark gaze of his again - of being disappointed again, even though she had agreed they'd take it slow. Everything just felt so good with him, she wanted more.

Another chilly wind swept through the crowd, earning cries and _oohs_ from the spectators. Sakura pulled her arms in against her and blew on her fingers, they were the coldest part of her and more of a nuisance than a discomfort. But then Shikamaru's hand slid over her arm to her hand, and he wrapped his own around it. The warmth of his touch pulled her attention to him, and she froze as they held each other's gazes. He smirked as he pulled her a little closer and then he put their joined hands into his pocket. Sakura's cheeks instantly warmed and she looked away, hoping to hide her damning blush from him.

He chuckled and leant toward her. "Your cheeks match your hair. It's pretty cute," he teased.

Sakura gasped in mock-offense and jerked her face up toward his, coming closer to him than anticipated. She opened her mouth to retort but stopped short when his eyes widened, the bridge of his nose darkening as the flush there spread to the tops of his cheeks. Her words lay forgotten as her lips stretched into a wide smile triumphant and teasing, and she tapped the tip of his nose with her other hand. "Not as cute as that."

He glared at her, blush darkening, but instead of looking away like she expected him to, his gaze slid to her mouth and lingered, leaning an inch closer. Sakura abruptly stopped breathing. _Would he…?_

He must've noticed for his eyes moved to lock with hers searchingly and she feared he might pull away but then he said words that had her heart skipping a beat. "I really… _really_ … want to kiss you right now."

Knees weak and feeling like she might collapse any second, she tightened her hold on the hand in hers, stepping even closer to him so that their toes were almost touching. If she hadn't known for a fact that she'd been standing still for an hour, she would've thought she ran a marathon for how fast her heart was racing. "Good, cause I really, really want you to kiss me."

If there was an accurate description for 'the world seemed to slow down' it had to be that moment and the thick tension between them as he slowly leaned down, closing the scant few inches between them. Sakura drew in a stuttering breath as she felt his puff out against her skin, his nose brushing hers as he touched his gently parted lips to her own.

It was like every cliche thing she'd ever read and never experienced. A warm electricity shot straight through her, filling her lungs as she inhaled against him. His fingers flexed around her hand in his pocket, holding her tightly as he pressed soft lips more surely against her. The warmth of his breath fanned over her face and she was vaguely aware of the guitar strumming somewhere so far away. But all she could focus on was the way his arm wrapped around her waist and the heat of his body as he pulled her closer.

Sakura's other hand gripped his side, curling into the fabric of his shirt as she tilted her face to give him better access. Her heart felt like it was galloping away, and she was doing everything she could to keep up, to stay grounded. But it was so damn hard when Shikamaru's mouth was stealing her breath away.

He deepened the kiss, engulfing her mouth with his, his hand curling over her hip and pressing her torso against his. Her head began spinning as she lost focus of everything around her but the feeling of him. He smelled like mint, and his smoke, and warmth and it left her wonderfully light-headed—

—"Sheesh, get a room!" A voice bellowed from behind them, causing them to startle apart, their bodies reluctantly breaking contact.

Sakura flushed in embarrassment, but couldn't help the butterflies that swarmed her stomach at the glare Shikamaru shot the man responsible for interrupting them. She bit her lips, desperately trying to resist a smile as she turned away from the both of them.

She lost the battle when she felt Shikamaru's fingers slip through hers, pulling her back into his pocket, thumb circling the back of her hand. She bit the inside of her lip to prevent the grin that wanted to bloom on her face and promptly failed. The pleasant drop of her stomach was now replaced with a warm tingling sensation as she reveled in silent victory. They'd actually kissed and it was amazing. She felt him shift closer to her and she shyly looked up at him from beneath sooty lashes and a thin veil of hair.

Shikamaru twisted toward her and pushed the hair back behind her ear, his lips quirking in that disarming way —that innocently charming way that could persuade her to skip every class to spend with him if he so wanted her to. His eyes fell to her face as his fingers skimmed across her jaw. He looked tempted to lean down to her again, their audience be damned, but instead he straightened and turned his attention back to the stage. Sakura smiled as she, too, came back to the moment and the music pumping through the speakers. However, their hands remained locked together throughout the rest of the band's show, electric tingles racing through their contact.

After the encore performance, Shikamaru and Sakura slipped out with the rest of the crowd, the posted security none the wiser. She giggled as they made it out, pleased with her first adventure in ditching; it had been a lot of fun. Shikamaru lead her along the pathways, both of them talking about other bands they liked as they made their way to the cafe to grab a warm drink before heading back. It was then that she'd learned more about Kimimaro's band, and how much of a fan Shikamaru was. He seemed to really enjoy it and he talked with a kind of passion and enthusiasm that Sakura had only imagined him having before. He was ridiculously cute, and it did ridiculously unfair things to her insides.

Sakura almost hated it when they were approaching his motorcycle —it meant their ditch day was over. He seemed to pick up on it and laughed. "I thought you were joking when you called me a bad influence, but look at you already rebelling against the constructs of higher education and debating whether you even want to go back."

She chuckled. "How can you tell all that? Are you a mind reader?"

"I know that look. I've had it many times."

Sakura was sure that was the truth, too. "I bet you have."

"It's your turn next," he said suddenly just as they came to a stop by his bike, and the statement confused her.

Her brow knit as she shot him a questioning look. "My turn for what?"

"To find our next adventure. Today you skipped for me, next time I'll skip for you. Deal?"

She gaped at him with humor in her eyes. "Are you _encouraging_ my rebellious behavior?"

He smirked as he leaned in. "I'm only encouraging you to accept your rebellious nature. I'm not saying we have to ditch tomorrow and every day after that, although I certainly wouldn't be opposed. But I wanted to share this band with you. So next time, you share something with me."

There was something in his eyes, something inside her, that compelled her to make a move. Feeling emboldened, she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him closer as she rose up onto her toes. Their lips collided and he was momentarily frozen as her actions caught up to him. The soft hum against her lips as his touch settled at her waist made her heart do crazy things. She broke apart from Shikamaru a moment later as her balance was impaired by the dizzying effects of his kiss. Her tongue darted over her lips subconsciously as her eyes cracked open to look at him.

She smiled but then grunted as the helmet was abruptly put onto her head. "That doesn't count as sharing something with me," he stated, playfully, the bridge of his nose flushing again as he strapped on the helmet for her.

In a rather childish move, she stuck her tongue out at him. Then proceeded to ignore the way his eyes seemed to linger over her mouth again (dammit Sakura, you can't kiss him the whole day!) and followed suit when he stepped away and got on the bike, getting behind him for the second time that day.

The sun was high in the sky, the afternoon settling in and Sakura grinned into his back, immensely happy with how her day had turned. "Hey, Shikamaru?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks." She grinned, squeezing his middle.

Shikamaru simply patted her arm but she could almost hear the grin in his voice. "Anytime, Sakura."

And with that, he kickstarted the bike and drove out of the parking lot, her clutching to him tightly.

* * *

 **Sorry for the slight delay everyone, we had some technical issues yesterday. We hope you liked this chapter. We've written twice as much as what's already been published and we're very excited to share. Stay tuned!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

In the minutes that followed their parting at the science building, Sakura thought an apt analogy to her situation would be: it was like coming off a rollercoaster.

Throughout the ride, adrenaline would be pumping heavily through your veins; everything would feel bigger, wilder. Finally, you'd be left dizzy and unsteady on your feet, stomach flip-flopping around in your abdomen and heart racing a mile a minute. And as soon as you got a hold of yourself, you'd want to do it all over again.

During her time with Shikamaru, spikes of excitement had raced through her, leaving her on edge and amazingly breathless. Every time he'd inched closer to her, her stomach would be left in knots, and every kiss they shared had the world spinning out of focus. And now that it was over, she wanted it all again.

He had smiled at her, a gentle tilt of the corner of his mouth as he'd said, "I'll see you, Sakura." And then he'd slowly leaned down, and just as their lips were about to touch, tilted his face and pressed his mouth to her cheek in a small, lingering kiss that left her cheeks a flaming pink.

All Sakura could think about as she settled into Kurenai-sensei's class was his smirk when he'd pulled back; how badly she had wanted to tangle her fingers in his hair and pull him down for a proper kiss, public audience be damned.

For a brief moment, she contemplated if this was his way of keeping her on edge until their next meeting; she wouldn't put it past him.

Shaking her head free of thoughts about crooked smiles and sexy smirks, she tuned in on what her teacher was saying and let her mind be momentarily consumed by chemistry equations and calculations.

* * *

It turned out that Chemistry could only help her so much and as soon as the class was over, her mind was racing again. Giddiness overtook her every time her mind drifted back to their kisses and she hurriedly left the science building, focused only on the amazing butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.

All of her past relationships had been fleeting-a few fancy dates and goodnight kisses and yet none had left her reeling the way her day with Shikamaru had. None of them managed to make the world spin out of focus or inspired such heavy butterflies in her stomach. And none had ever been so exciting and spontaneous.

Despite how aware she was of how quickly they were moving, of how terrifying and new everything was, it was also wonderfully exhilarating.

She was becoming quickly, and wholly consumed by the novelty of it, of never knowing what to expect next. It was unprecedented of her— Sakura was quite the meticulous person, after all, she valued being in control of the situation.

But she was also aware of her tendency to think with her heart instead of her brain. The amount of excitement and fun she was having already left little space for argument. She'd never dream of stepping back from something this marvellous. For once, she wanted to let go, to go along with something without overthinking, over-complicating or over-analysing it.

Riding a strange high, she made the spontaneous decision to visit Ino for some girl talk. But it wasn't until she was skipping into the shop that a sudden realisation nagged her.

Should she really be telling Ino? What if the blonde thought it was weird for her to be involved with Shikamaru? What if it turned out she was uncomfortable with two of her best friends dating? More importantly, Shikamaru had wanted to take it slow— kissing her and holding her hand didn't change that, but actually confessing and telling their friends they were officially seeing each other was surely moving too fast.

The rosette faltered in her steps, not so sure what to do anymore. Telling Ino was suddenly out of the question, and on second thought, she wasn't sure she wanted to share this with anyone. It had been such a precious experience; a part of her wanted to keep it all to herself, to never tell a soul how much this day meant to her.

Before she could turn tail and hurry out of Yamanaka's Flower Shop, Ino stumbled into view, gloved hands caked with dirt and looking haggard. "Oh, Forehead, thank god! Come help me out, please. I promised I'd have the back section cleared out before the weekend and now my mum is stopping by to check how it's coming! I knew I shouldn't have put it off…"

While Ino despaired, Sakura gathered her wits. "Uh… sure. Just calm down."

"You're a lifesaver!" The blonde cried, throwing her arms up in a very melodramatic gesture.

Shaking her head in rueful acceptance, the rosette joined her friend by the aisle, wondering how she always somehow let herself get bullied into work. But Ino was the reason she met Shikamaru, which indirectly meant she was part of the reason she had so much fun today.

"You owe me, Pig," Sakura grumbled, which Ino responded to by hugging her and agreeing.

Two gloves and an apron were promptly shoved into her hands and Sakura let out another sigh as she secured pink strands into a bun atop of her head and resigned herself into shifting her thoughts to a more productive, although ultimately less exciting, path.

The dreaded back-side of Yamanaka's Flower Shop was… well, a mess, to put it kindly. Every few months, accumulated supplies would make the place look more and more disorganised. Today's disaster was evidently the torn up dirtbag by the wall. Somehow it managed to smudge every square inch of the place although Sakura suspected half of it could be attributed to Ino's careless stomping around.

As if reading her mind, Ino thrust a terry cloth in her direction. "Again, thank you so much for doing this Forehead, you're the best!"

It was too late to back out, wasn't it? Well, shit.

* * *

When they were done it was well into the night. Sakura surveyed their handiwork, giving a satisfied nod when noting that the place _shined_. As a result, her back was an aching mess of knots and strained muscles, and dirt seemed to have taken a permanent residence beneath her nails. She had abandoned her gloves an hour into the task, deeming them too impractical to get any work done, and now she was paying for it.

Ino yawned from her place by the counter, messy bun falling apart with a few leaves stuck to it like decorations. Sakura stifled a laugh, perfectly aware that she probably looked the same.

"Forehead you should spend the night," Ino mumbled as she discarded her apron behind the counter. "'S too late anyway."

Sakura caved. She was just too damn tired to drive back home. "Okay. But first food, I'm starving."

"We can stop for take out. There's a Chinese restaurant behind my building and I really feel like having Chinese right now," Ino suggested, and together they exited the shop and locked up.

Ino's building was just down the lit street, and true to the blonde's words, a cosy restaurant sat nestled between two buildings at the back of it. The atmosphere inside was warm and inviting, the smell of food cooking making Sakura's stomach grumble miserably. She slumped onto one of the cushioned chairs, assigning Ino the task of deciding their dinner in favour of relaxing for a moment.

There were three text messages waiting to be read on her phone and she swiped across the screen to view them. Her heart did a little stutter as the sender's contact lit up her screen.

 _Hey Sakura, sorry for texting you out of the blue. My mum isn't feeling too well so I won't be able to make it to our study session tomorrow._

She tried to squash the disappointment welling in her chest as she viewed his next message.

 _We can reschedule though. Would Sunday do? We can meet at the campus library._

And finally, the last message sent a few minutes ago.

 _Hope you got home safely, please let me know. I'm kind of starting to get worried._

Feeling a smile bloom on her face, and warmth replace the disappointment sitting heavy in her stomach, she quickly typed back: _Hey, don't worry about it, I hope your mother feels well soon enough! Sorry for the late reply, I was busy helping Ino around at the shop._

She startled when a moment later, her phone rang, his name flashing across the screen. Her heart jumped to lodge somewhere in her throat and she hesitated a second before answering his call. "Hey."

"Oh thank god, I was starting to think you've been kidnapped." His familiar raspy voice filled her ear and Sakura felt her body truly relax for the first time since the morning, a small smile stretching her lips.

"I'm fine, silly. I don't think anyone in their right mind would kidnap a pink-haired girl, in broad daylight or otherwise," she teased, noting that Ino was too busy making an order to overhear her.

"Fair point." He acquiesced. "Are you back home then?"

Trying and failing to ignore the butterflies in her stomach, Sakura admitted, "No. I'm spending the night… how's your mum?"

There was a pause on the other line and some shuffling before she got a reply. "Really sick. I'm making her soup in hopes she'll feel better soon." A clatter and a soft curse followed and Sakura giggled quietly at the obvious distress of the man on the other end of the line.

"Careful there, maybe you shouldn't talk on the phone while cooking," Sakura remarked playfully when another clang echoed through the line.

Shikamaru snorted. "I thought it was don't talk on the phone while driving. But good point. Now that I have confirmed no kidnapping of pretty pink-haired women occured, I can, with good conscience, go back to cooking."

"You're such a dork," she whined, sure that her blush was as bright as her hair.

"I'll text you later, Sakura. Take care," he said instead, and she could hear the grin in his voice and could only shake her head at how endearing he was.

"Bye, Shikamaru," she mumbled, trying valiantly to tone down the grin on her face.

Ino returned moments after the end of the call, take-out bags in hand. "What's got you all blushy?"

"Nothing. Let's go!" Sakura said hurriedly as she clambered onto her feet and skipped past Ino and out of the shop.

The cold air did little to cool her blush, or the warmth that was spreading through her, but she didn't care, she decided as they rounded the building to Ino's apartment. She was just too damn happy right then, even while knowing she wasn't going to see him again tomorrow.

Her goal now was to avoid suspicious blondes with terrifying interrogation skills long enough to survive the night.

* * *

The next morning passed in a bit of a daze for Sakura. Ino's parents showed up with Ino's unfairly cute cousins at about ten in the morning and the bedroom was soon turned into an art studio for the young ones while breakfast was prepared.

Sakura loved kids, especially the quieter ones who were well behaved. But she was rather unfocused today- she hadn't slept well at all. Rather, she'd stayed up all night chatting with Shikamaru via text and as a result got about five hours of sleep before the aforementioned tiny, blonde cousins marched in.

Dammit, he was such a bad influence! A very cute and mischievous one, too… she was way in over her head no matter how she looked at it. To make matters worse, last night she had dreamt about him…

Sakura promptly ducked her head to hide the flush brightening her cheeks. Had she had any time to lay serenely in bed after being awoken, she would've basked in the warmth it inspired until it sent her right back to dreamland and hopefully carried on where it left off.

But despite the unfortunate disruption, Sakura found herself replaying the dream in her head over and over again, the butterflies getting worse and worse.

When he'd kissed her during the Sound Four's concert, it had been toe-curling and unfortunately short-lived as they'd been interrupted.

Last night's dream… A shiver zigzagged down her spine as she recalled, with as much detail as her bleary mind provided, the way he had tangled his fingers in her hair and crashed their mouths together, kissing her deeply and pressing her against the solid wall so that she felt every inch of him against her.

In the building excitement of his hands running up and down her sides, of his mouth on her neck leaving languid, hot kisses, Sakura was knocked awake.

How she wished that dream had carried on… she wondered what might've happened next. Would he have touched her- trailed those hot kisses down her body until she couldn't take it anymore?

Sakura shook her head violently in hopes it would knock her mind clean off the inappropriate thoughts. It wasn't the time or place for her to be fantasising about Shikamaru… even as she thought that, she realised it was much easier said than done.

The dream was, in a way, her downfall. It pulled every memory of him to the forefront of her mind- the way he smirked around his cigarette and the unfairly hypnotising depths of his dark eyes when he looked at her in the library, like he wanted to lean over the table and kiss her. She recalled the feeling of his longer fingers between hers when he'd held her hand yesterday, how for the duration of the concert she felt high on the rush of their proximity.

And most vividly, was definitely the sensation of his mouth on hers. Thin and smooth lips engulfing her own, moving unhurriedly, like he was memorising the feeling of her mouth. His kiss was, in a way, like everything else about him. He gave nothing or everything at once. Shikamaru didn't like expending any unnecessary energy or thought, but when he did, he took his time. She desperately wished he had ignored their disturbor and carried on with that mind-blowing kiss.

Before she could get any more caught up in her thoughts, Ino's mom called for them. Sakura helped Ino get the kids washed up once breakfast was ready, and she forced herself to not think about Shikamaru while they ate. She was only mildly successful.

And then, Sakura had to leave so she could make it home to shower and get ready for class in time. All she wanted to do was nap, and maybe dream some more, but unfortunately it would have to wait.

Class that afternoon was boring, and Sakura stifled yawn after yawn as she took notes. Most of the material she had already read up on, so she reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. Her fingers moved silently over the screen as she messaged Shikamaru. _Hey, I was just checking in and seeing how your mom was feeling._

Her phone buzzed with his reply a few moments later. _She's still feeling pretty awful, but she's sleeping right now._

 _I'm sorry. I hope she feels better soon._

 _Aren't you in class right now?_

Sakura looked around the class, up to her professor, and then back to the phone. _Yeah, but it's soooo boring,_ she replied with a crying emoji.

 _Sometimes when I'm bored I text a random number and say I hid the body… now what?_

Sakura laughed and then quickly covered it up with a cough and a clear of her throat. "Sorry," she muttered to the teacher and then glanced back down to her phone. _Hahaha you're awful._

 _One of my many charming qualities,_ he teased with a winking emoji. It was followed quickly by: _I gotta go. Ttyl?_

Sakura nodded as if he could see her. _Of course._

Feeling a little more rejuvenated, Sakura tuned back into the lecture with renewed determination. Talking to him always filled her with a kind of nervous energy, and she focused all of it on the lecture.

Sakura was relieved when she walked through the door of her apartment that afternoon. The day had seemed to drag on by - whether it was because she didn't sleep well enough to recover from helping Ino, or because she missed Shikamaru's infectious warmth, she wasn't entirely sure. All she wanted was a hot meal, a hot bath, and maybe another episode of her favorite show.

But as Sakura rummaged her cabinet, she found she was missing a few essentials. Her fridge was in an even more pathetic state. She checked her bank account, and then with a dejected sigh she began making a list.

The market was slightly crowded, and Sakura found a decent enough spot to park. She picked up a handbasket as she entered and headed toward one end of the store to start on her list.

She had learned to enjoy grocery shopping after she'd moved out of her parents' house; what was a frustrating and dreadful activity that bored her to tears had somehow become therapeutic. She found herself humming as she strolled through the dairy section, picking up milk and butter.

There weren't many people inside, which Sakura was thankful for. The worst kind of crowd was the grocery shop one, she thought as she turned to the next section to grab some bread and a box of cereal. Her phone vibrated in her back pocket and she nearly jumped out of her skin- _oh, jeez,_ calm down Sakura.

But just as she thought that, Shikamaru's name flashed on her screen and she nearly dropped her basket in a sudden fit of excitement. _Oh, oh yes._

 _Hey. How are you this fine evening? It feels like I haven't seen you in ages._

Grinning like a dork, Sakura paused to type out a reply: _Hmm… that's because it's been about thirty hours? Such long time._ And because they were just so damn gross like that, she added a sad emoji.

She pushed her phone back in her pocket and proceeded to grab what she needed off the shelves.

He was such a dork, seriously. Sakura didn't think someone so attractive would be able to pull it off, but he did. Half the time she wasn't sure if she wanted to kiss him senseless or pinch his cheeks. He could be so adorable when he blushed.

She rounded another section, bending to retrieve cooking oil from the bottom shelf. She felt like a hearty meal tonight- it had been so long since she'd put any effort into cooking! Although med school had her drowning in work, she felt energised enough today to cook.

Her phone vibrated again and she quickly unlocked it to see Shikamaru's reply.

 _This situation can be remedied very easily. Are you free tomorrow after class?_

Oh, it was just so unfair that he made her heart skip a beat without any effort! Biting her lip to stop from grinning, she slowly typed her reply, _Shikamaru Nara… are you asking me out?_

A poppy song started playing through the store speakers overhead and Sakura found her steps coming a little lighter as she moved on from eyeing the end display. She headed toward the next aisle for some feminine products when the phone in her hand buzzed. She could no longer contain the silly grin as she saw his answer. _Would you say yes if I was?_

She was typing out a reply when everything went wrong. With an oomph Sakura ran straight smack into someone else. The collision sent her stumbling backwards, but a strong grip circled her arm just as she got her footing. Her heart was pounding and her face flooded with heat. How embarrassing!

An apology already lining her tongue, Sakura looked up, but she froze as she met a familiar and equally surprised stare. The edges of Shikamaru's lips twitched into a semblance of a smile. "Are you okay?"

The way relief fell over his features made all the pre-collision giddiness come back. She smiled, unable to tear her gaze away from his as she began to nod. "Yes… to both questions."

His eyes narrowed slightly in confusion and so she lifted her phone to show him that she had been texting her reply - a simple _Yes_. He chuckled as his grip on her arm loosened and traveled to her wrist. "So what did you have in mind then?"

"Actually, right now, all that's on my mind is why you're in the feminine aisle."

The tips of Shikamaru's ears reddened as he looked away from her and to the display of tampons and pads. Wordlessly, he pulled a scrap of paper from his pocket and held it out to her. She plucked it from his fingers and unfolded it to find a grocery list much like her own - a 'don't forget' pointing to the pads.

She laughed as she handed the list back to him. She scanned the display and then picked out a package and set it in his basket. "I'd hate for you to go back without those."

He sighed. "My dad was supposed to have done it, but it fell to me. Also, what's Mr. Sunshine?"

Sakura giggled at his exasperation. "It's dish soap."

"Why couldn't she just write soap? Who names these things?"

Resisting another giggle, Sakura tucked her phone into her pocket and then linked her arm with his. "I will aid you with your quest."

"This isn't an RPG… you're enjoying this, aren't you?" he deadpanned.

"Maybe you should use that hypnopedia to study up on name brand goods."

He nodded as she dragged him from the aisle. "Yeah, you're enjoying this."

"Maybe just a bit," she admitted as she held her hand out. "What else you got on that list?"

Shikamaru's mother was definitely brand loyal, writing specifics next to some of the items like 'the green box, not blue.' Sakura was familiar enough with some of them and helped him find certain sauces, oils, and cleaners - grabbing a couple things on her list as they went.

It was so nice shopping with Shikamaru; he made something she already enjoyed so much more fun. But that wasn't a real surprise, being with him amplified every feeling. And right now, as they giggled over the names of sausage links, Sakura felt so giddy and warm. She buried a series of snickers into Shikamaru's arm; the angry glare of a woman nearby made her stifle her laughter until they'd passed her.

"You're awful!" Sakura accused with a playful smack to his shoulder.

"That old bat was glaring at you, not me," he countered with a grin.

Sakura's eyes suddenly lit up at something behind him and she walked ahead of Shikamaru to a fruit stand. "Hey Shikamaru," she called with a barely contained gleeful snort, "look, I found your cousin."

Shikamaru deadpanned when she held the pineapple up. "I'm offended," he muttered as he turned his nose up, walking over to her. "That's not my cousin, Sakura. _That's_ my cousin," he corrected as he picked up a second, larger, pineapple.

This time Sakura laughed wholeheartedly as Shikamaru lifted the pineapple to the side of his face. "Oh, how could I have missed the resemblance?"

Her heart thudded in her chest as a lopsided grin graced his face. "Sakura, this is Shikaten. Shikaten, this is Sakura, the girl from Anatomy class." Shikamaru then perked up a little and hummed inquisitively as he leant closer to the pineapple. "Oh, yeah, she is pretty cute, isn't she?"

Holy hell! The warmth that had been blooming in her chest attacked her face so suddenly, she was sure she was as red-

Shikamaru chuckled, tucking the pineapple in his arm as he stepped forward. His other hand lifted to cup her face, his thumb softly grazing her cheek. "I think you're about as red as a tomato," he teased.

Sakura was suddenly hyper-aware of where they were, and she was sure that old lady was scowling at them from somewhere. She pulled back from his touch, making a sour face as she did. "I hate tomatoes."

Sakura turned her focus momentarily to her list-she wanted some sweet potatoes and pears-when the pineapple was tilted in front of her face. "Awww Don't worry! Shikaten will make you forget all about those disgusting tomatoes."

Sakura smirked as she took the pineapple from Shikamaru. "Sounds great. I think this cutie should come home with me."

Shikamaru gaped after them as Sakura walked on, pausing in front of the pears. "Lucky bastard," he mumbled under his breath before catching up to her and joining her side.

Sakura crossed off the final item on her list and looked up to meet Shikamaru's gaze. "So are you done, too?"

He nodded. "Yeah, which is a shame cause I'd love to spend some more time with you. I just need to get this stuff home for mom."

She nodded as they made their way to check out. "I understand what it's like with a sick parent."

With her words, Shikamaru remembered that her dad had been sick a lot while she was growing up. "Hey, thanks for helping me out. I'd probably still be in the feminine aisle trying to decipher which one she wanted if it weren't for you."

Sakura chuckled as she began setting her items on the belt at the cashier's station. "You're welcome. I had a really good time shopping with you," Sakura admitted, hoping to hide the blush forming on her cheeks. "It sounds silly, but it was probably the most fun I've had grocery shopping."

Shikamaru began to unpack his basket behind Sakura's and he cast her an affectionate grin. "Me, too… even if you did make that granny uncomfortable."

Sakura's mouth dropped. "That was your fault, not mine, talking about those sausages that way!"

They huddled together to laugh to themselves, completely oblivious to everything else around them for the moment. Sakura moved forward to pay for her bags, thanking the cashier as she did so. She waited for Shikamaru to finish, taking the quiet moment to drink the sight of him in. She certainly wished she could shop with him more, that there was a reason for them to shop together like the other couples that were there. Sakura was startled by her own thoughts-where had that even come from? But she couldn't deny the happiness she'd felt. There was nothing wrong with wanting to embrace that feeling.

And then he glanced over at her and smirked and Sakura felt herself grinning back automatically as if the responses he elicited from her were out of her control. It felt so… natural.

"You two have a good night," the cashier said, loud enough for Sakura to hear as well.

The rosette felt embarrassment creep over her face again as Shikamaru joined her and called back. "We will!"

They laughed the whole way out the door. The cool evening air washed over them like a dose of reality, and Sakura sighed into the dusky sky knowing that they were about to part ways. "I'm parked over here."

"And I'm down that way," he stated, gesturing to the opposite direction.

"Be careful getting home."

He nodded as he met her eyes, but neither of them moved. Sakura began to hope that maybe, just maybe, he'd kiss her again. It didn't even have to be a full on, toe curling kiss like at the concert. She just wanted to feel his lips one more time.

Shikamaru suddenly huffed, muttering a hasty, "Screw it," under his breath before he leaned down. His fingers ghosted under her jaw, tilting her face towards his. She felt his breath before his lips fell plush on hers in one warm, lingering kiss.

"Text me later and let me know where you wanna go on that date," he murmured lazily before stepping away.

Sakura's face hurt from all the smiling she had been doing, but she couldn't help herself. "I will. See ya, Shikamaru."

Sakura began heading towards her car, her body tingling in excitement. It was amazing how he had that effect on her. She was so happy that she turned up her music as she drove home, singing along to every song.

Sakura hauled her grocery bags up the stairs, into her apartment, and finally onto the countertop. After all that, she was even hungrier than before she left. She started to unpack all of her items, quickly putting away things like milk to ensure it remained cold. As she began to empty the last couple of bags, her phone rang. She rummaged through her purse and found it, surprised to see Shikamaru's name flashing on the screen.

She answered it, holding it in place with her shoulder as she turned back to her bags. "Shikaten isn't ready to come home, yet."

Shikamaru's soft chuckle filled her ear. "Fine, fine, as long as he behaves. But, I was calling because I was wondering if you, by chance, happened to have a box of cold medicine and some ginger with your things?"

"I don't think so, but I'm still unpacking. One second, okay?"

"Sure. I know I bought it. It's one of the reasons mom sent me to the store in the first place," he grumbled, clearly annoyed.

"I remember you picking them out, too. That's really weird, but…" Sakura paused as she picked up the box from her bag. "I have it. I don't know how it got in my things."

"I wasn't paying that much attention, to be honest," Shikamaru admitted.

"You mean like always?" An irritated voice echoed in the background. Shikamaru sighed. "I hate to ask, but do you think it'd be too much trouble for you to bring it here?"

"I don't mind at all!" Sakura replied. "I just have to put away a couple things first. Text me your address and I'll be on my way."

"I owe you one."

"I'll see you soon, okay."

"Sure. Bye Sakura."

Sakura hung up and finished putting away her groceries, pushing the hair out of her face as she realized belatedly she was going to have to stall making dinner again. Her phone chimed and Sakura picked it up, swiping to see Shikamaru's message - his house address and instructions to _just follow the driveway_.

And then it all caught up to her. _Oh, crap, I just agreed to go to Shikamaru's house._

* * *

 ** _Ahhhh, here we go! We present to you chapter 5 of 5K words!- not a favourite of mine but I hope you liked it! Next chapter will probably kill a lot of you so I'm definitely excited to share. Teaser: Shikamaru's parents could be so embarrassing!_**

 ** _Drop us a line or two we'll love you forever. If you have any questions or just wanna fangirl with us over this cute, cute pairing, you can find us on Tumblr: bouncyirwin and Denilmo!_**

 ** _Have a nice day lovelies~_**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Sakura followed the GPS instructions on her phone, going towards the west side of the city. A lot of old money ran this part of town, at least that's what her parents had always said. But the houses were immaculate, and the street lamps looked like they were straight out of a vintage photograph. It was all very cute and rustic.

As she turned off of the main street, the houses began to fall farther apart from one another, rich expanses of forest taking over. She began to see signs warning drivers of deer crossing and then the navigation pinged and read out _In a quarter mile you will reach your destination on the left_.

Sakura wondered if perhaps she was lost, but then a fence came into view. A little further up was a driveway, adorned on either side with lamp posts. And as Sakura pulled in, her GPS chimed again and notified her that she had reached her destination. The number plate on the outside of the gate matched what Shikamaru had sent her, but… but this couldn't be right. Could it?

The gate was open, and so Sakura did as Shikamaru had said and followed the driveway. It was a long path lined with trees on both sides, until the interior side opened up into a field that stretched on and disappeared into the darkness of night. The driveway curved and then his house came into view.

"Wow," Sakura whispered to herself. His house was huge.

Feeling like she had somehow entered a fairytale, Sakura's car came to a slow stop in front of the porch. It was warmly lit by the overhead yellow lights, the steps lined with potted plants. Everything looked pristine yet inviting.

Her family's home was a more modern style, and nothing as grand as this. Sakura grabbed the grocery bag and headed towards the porch. The engawa was wide and resembled more of a grand veranda than the narrow spaces she could vaguely recall from her great-grandparents' house. She marveled at the pattern of the wood, feeling the smoothness of it beneath her fingers. It was beautiful. But she had time to admire later, she reminded herself.

Sakura reached for the bell button with hesitant fingers- it still felt as if she might've gotten the wrong house, but her maps app had never lied to her and she doubted it'd suddenly start to now.

Shaking her head at her silly thoughts, she quickly pressed the button, the chiming of the bells inside echoing through the door. So maybe Shikamaru was rich, big deal. There was no reason to feel intimidated, he was still the same guy from earlier. The one who made her smile like an idiot and inspired heavy butterflies in her stomach.

The door fell open, shocking her out of her thoughts and making her heart jump a little. But as soon as her eyes landed on the dark-haired boy with the sheepish smile, her shoulders relaxed and she found herself feeling lighter. Yeah, it was just Shikamaru.

"I'm so sorry about this," he said, foregoing greetings and pleasantries as he ushered her into the warmth of his house.

Sakura stepped out of her shoes and into a pair of slippers Shikamaru gestured to. She couldn't keep her eyes from roaming the entrance. "It's not a big deal."

"She nagged at me so much over it, but I know she's ill so I'm trying to ignore it. Just… I'm sorry if she's a little short with you."

Sakura squeezed his hand as she passed the bag over to him. "It's okay, Shikamaru, really."

He sighed, a pleasant airy sound in the otherwise quiet room, and their eyes locked. Something Sakura couldn't quite decipher flashed through his eyes and he grinned. Just as he opened his mouth there was a light cough and a clearing of a throat.

"I'd hurry with that if I were you."

The moment broken, Shikamaru deflated. "Right, come on in. Sakura, this is my father."

She bowed in greeting. "Hello!"

"My name is Shikaku, it's nice to meet you, Sakura."

She could've sworn she'd seen that same look of amusement in Shikamaru's eyes once before. Then again, he did look an awful lot like his father. Shikaku gestured for her to follow his son, and once she'd join Shikamaru's side he showed her into the rest of the house. She glanced behind them to his father who was watching them with a gentle smile. "You have a lovely home," she commented.

"Thank you, Sakura," he replied with an easy laugh. "So, you're friends with my son?"

She found it easy to smile with his father. "Yes, sir. We go to the same school. We're in the same field, and actually have a class together."

"Oh."

That one simple syllable held so much weight, so much knowledge. Sakura had no idea if it was a good thing or not, but she could definitely feel the shift in the air. Shikamaru came to a stop and slid open a door.

A TV was on in the corner, a period drama playing on screen. Across from the television was a brunette woman, sitting with her legs under a kotatsu, a steaming cup of tea in front of her. The tip of her nose was red, and though she sniffled and looked tired, there was a hard determined set to her features. Her attention shifted over to them, her eyes widening in surprise.

Sakura smiled and bowed to her. "I'm so sorry for the mix up! I hope you feel better soon."

The woman offered a smile. "Thank you."

Shikaku closed the door behind him as he entered after them. "Honey, this is Sakura, Shikamaru's _friend from class_."

From her place, Sakura could've sworn she saw the tips of Shikamaru's ears redden. His mother's smile grew. "Oh, how nice to meet you. Shikamaru never brings girls home."

"Mom," Shikamaru groaned.

Exasperation fell over her face as she sighed. "Let your mother enjoy this moment!"

Sakura tried, but she couldn't help but giggle. Shikamaru turned surprised eyes to her. "Traitor," he muttered as he walked over to give his mom the bag.

"It's nice to meet you, I'm Yoshino. Shikamaru, why don't you make some tea for your friend? Are you hungry, have you eaten? Shikaku, get Sakura something to eat."

Sakura held up her hands. "Oh, you don't have to go through the trouble! I'm fine."

Even though she was under the weather, Yoshino was not hearing it. She still held command over the house from her spot beneath the blanket. "Nonsense. You came all the way here, so it's the least we can do. You share classes with Shikamaru?"

Sakura glanced at Shikamaru who shrugged at her and then disappeared into the adjoining room. She could hear water run and she guessed it was the kitchen. She turned her focus back to his mother. "Yes, we have Hatake's Anatomy class together."

"Are you the same friend he's been tutoring lately?" she inquired in a tone that Sakura couldn't quite decide whether it was playful or interrogative.

"That would be me. Microbiology and chem have been a bit difficult, but Shikamaru's really helped a lot."

"Oh, that's good." Yoshino's grin bordered on impish, and between Shikamaru's parents, she felt like she was missing out on some big punchline to a joke. "So, you're going to be a doctor, too?"

Sakura shyly tucked some loose hair behind her ear. "Yes, it's what I've wanted to do since year one of high school."

"It's nice to meet someone else with some determination."

There was a clatter in the kitchen and Sakura spun around, concerned. "Can I help you with something?"

"Please," Shikamaru begged at the same time his mother answered, "He can handle it."

Sakura froze, unsure if she should excuse herself and help Shikamaru or stay in place and continue talking with his mom. She was feeling incredibly nervous.

Shikaku walked through the door, carrying soup on a tray in his hands. His gaze was mildly reproaching, taking pity on his son. "Yoshino, let her go help Shikamaru." He then turned to Sakura as he passed, smile softening. "Go on, she only seems scary. She'll grow on you."

"Nara Shikaku!" Yoshino shouted, then looked offended by the stuffy, nasally sound of her voice.

Shikaku laughed softly as he continued toward his wife. "Soup as a peace offering?"

Sakura turned and quietly shuffled to the kitchen, sighing as her gaze landed on Shikamaru. He gave her a knowing look. "That's what happens to traitors," he teased.

Sakura playfully shoved his shoulder. "I didn't expect to be left alone, I panicked."

"Sorry, mom's word has always just kinda been law around here."

"I can see why. She's nice, but a little intimidating."

"The tea is almost ready. You can have some soup while we wait," he offered.

"No, it's okay. I can eat later." As if on cue, her stomach grumbled in protest, giving her away and Shikamaru's gaze followed her hands as they quickly set over her stomach.

A quiet chuckle bubbled forth from between thin lips, much to her embarrassment, and he took her hand, pulling her towards the other end of the kitchen. Another panel slid open and he beckoned her closer. "Follow me."

He lead her to a dining room across another hallway, ushering her in. He turned on the lights and motioned for her to sit before uttering that he'd be right back. Sakura looked around the dining room with silent appreciation. It was simple but lovely, and Sakura imagined that the large window to the side of the table had an amazing view.

She adjusted the cushion as she lowered herself to sit at the chabudai. The table itself was a sturdy, rich oak and looked handmade. A moment later, Shikamaru entered carrying two bowls of soup. He set one in front of her before sitting opposite of her. He reached over and pulled a spoon out for both of them and then sighed. "I haven't eaten yet either. I'm so hungry."

She smile gently at him. "Thank you."

He nodded as he lifted a spoonful to his mouth, lips pursing to blow on it. _What I would give to be that spoon,_ Sakura mused before digging into the meal. The chicken soup was warm, hearty, and filling - the kind of soup she couldn't get anywhere else but home.

"You're not half-bad at this." She hummed, relaxing into the comfortable cushion beneath her and allowing the soup to warm her up from the inside.

Shikamaru's smile softened to something genuine and kind, "Thanks. I've had a few years practice."

Sakura giggled, not doubting it. From what she'd seen of Yoshino so far she was sure the Nara woman had tried to drill more than a few things into poor Shikamaru's head.

It was shaping up to be such a pleasant night, too. She no longer regretted her lost chance at cooking something hearty to last her the two coming days— this more than made up for it.

When they were finished, she followed Shikamaru back through the house to the kitchen, where she promptly tried to take over at the sink. "Let me help with the dishes."

Shikamaru glanced in the direction he knew his parents were in. "I can't let you, you're a guest." _My mum would kick my ass_ went unsaid.

"But it's the least I can do," Sakura protested stubbornly.

Shikamaru took her hand in his, and tugged her to fully face him, making her heartbeat quicken. "You came all the way here for one item, that was probably my fault it got mixed up, so you saved my ass. Trust me, you've done plenty."

"But-"

Shikamaru shook his head as he leaned down to hold her gaze. The way he grinned at her twisted her stomach in the most pleasant of ways. Just when she thought he couldn't be any more endearing to her, she found herself here like this, trapped in his dark gaze.

The door slid open and Shikaku walked in with the tray he had earlier. "I stole your tea," he confessed, eyes alight and not in the least apologetic.

Shikamaru reluctantly pulled away from Sakura and sighed as if he was dealing with a toddler. "Dad."

"Why don't I finish up the dishes, while you two go enjoy some tea?" he suggested instead, grin sly. "The water is still hot."

Sakura smiled to herself as she watched Shikamaru's head tilt to regard his father, their eyes locked. They stared at each other for a long moment, as if communicating mentally, and then Shikamaru pulled a face. But he still smiled at his father, and she heard him mumble a thanks to him as his hand wrapped around hers, steering her away.

She followed him to the kitchen island, promptly taking the two cups he handed off. He held up two boxes of tea in question and Sakura picked hojicha. He grinned when she did. "I thought you'd pick that one."

"The flavor is really nice," she replied, eyes darting to his mouth and then away to the cups. He set a tea bag in each one and Sakura bit back a smile when she noticed he put the same tea in his.

He filled both with hot water from the kettle, trying his best to keep his cool despite the light blush that dusted his cheeks. "I know the perfect place for us to go drink this."

Sakura picked up her cup with a soft thanks and then followed him out, past his mother —who she greeted again and thanked for sharing their meal- and out the door. She caught up to Shikamaru who had stopped to wait for her, and then they continued on, soft laughter bubbling from between them. They were oblivious to how Shikaku shared a pleased look with his wife.

Shikamaru opened yet another door, this one leading to the engawa, letting the cool autumn air wash over them. Sakura joined him on it, her skin prickling slightly, and pushed the door closed. As soon as they were alone, he intertwined their fingers together, the swift movement simultaneously stealing her breath and making her skin heat at the contact. She couldn't help but recall the last time he had held her hand and the subsequent kiss...

He sighed in something akin to relief, pulling her from her thoughts. "I'm sorry if that was awkward. Was that awkward? My parents are…"

"They're parents. You should meet mine," she offered in an attempt to comfort him, smiling slightly at his obvious trepidation.

He chuckled, shoulders relaxing and fingers closing more surely around hers, something mischievous entering his gaze. "Are you asking me to meet them?"

Her face warmed and she was grateful for the cover of night. "I didn't—!"

"Like a tomato," he teased, but his voice was such silky perfection to her ears she couldn't bring herself to be mad that he was yet again comparing her to that damned vegetable.

"At least I don't have a pineapple head," she retorted, nostrils flaring.

They walked around the engawa to the back side of the house and Sakura gasped in awe, earlier indignation forgotten. The moonlight spilled over the trees and into the garden, gently illuminating the manicured grass and stone pathway. The flowers looked muted in the night, more fragile and beautiful, and if she listened she could make out the faint trickle of water nearby.

"Wow, Shikamaru, this is beautiful!"

"Yes, it is."

At the tenderness in his voice, Sakura looked over at him and met his warm stare. He quickly averted his gaze, giving a strained cough to break whatever tension he felt, and then sat, patting the open space beside him. She settled in next to him, letting out a long hum. "Your house is really beautiful."

"It's been in our family for generations, this land stretches all the way to the Naka River, too."

"Wow… it's amazing."

"You should join me here for the next meteor shower, and I'll really show you something amazing."

Again, his invitation inspired that pleasant drop in her belly. She was quickly becoming addicted to it. "Count me in!"

He laughed, the action causing their arms to brush together; her skin tingled but all she could focus on was the timbre of his voice, deep and alluring. She hid her smile behind her cup, enjoying the warmth of her tea and the man at her side. She was still in a state of disbelief about how the day had turned out, and her voice was soft as she began to talk. "You know, I was just thinking back and… this day hasn't gone anything like I had thought it would. But I'm really glad cause I ended up here with you," she admitted shyly.

Shikamaru wrapped his arm around her shoulders and tucked her into his side. She squeaked as his lips pressed to her forehead, and she could feel his laugh reverberate through her at her reaction. She contemplated poking him, maybe a quick jab to his ribs to see if he was ticklish as payback, when his rich voice rumbled pleasantly against her head. "I'm glad, too."

* * *

The next morning, Sakura awoke an hour before her alarm went off at seven. Usually, she didn't require its shrieking to wake up on time, her body was accustomed at rising just before seven. This meant usually, she was up ten minutes before she needed to be.

Today was an exception. Her body was in a strange place between wakefulness and sleep, content to just lay there and bask in the warmth of her blanket and the tentative cool light seeping through her curtains. It was an unmistakable luxury, to be able to lie in bed instead of having to rush to get ready the moment awareness crept to the forefront of her mind.

Sakura stared at her ceiling, watching the soft light break the shadows apart; she took a deep breath- it didn't feel as if she was physically there, her body a clashing mix of light and heavy, her mind far, far away. Beyond the stillness of her home, beyond the sound of dripping water in the other room and beyond the whooshing sound of cars speeding by outside.

In her mind, she was back in the delicious warmth of Shikamaru's arm around her, cool air billowing pink strands about and the pleasant scent of tea surrounding her. There, cocooned in that space between his ribs and elbow, engulfed by the night and so far away from everything else.

Every detail and sensation was burned into her memory, there for her to pull and relive as many times as she wanted. When the pleasantly cool air that had surrounded them last night became a biting chill, she found solace in the body warmth beside her. They had laughed and talked and poked fun of each other, and then it grew quieter and heavier and she could acutely feel the tension between them.

She could still recall the faint pulsing of his heart beneath her ear, a rhythmic thudding that matched the puffs of his breath against her. Perhaps it was the time and place- for Sakura had never spent time with him in such a secluded area, with darkness for cover.

He seemed more relaxed there, more tender, as if the absence of light was a source of security he relished in and was key to his softer side.

So after all the words were said, and all the laughs were shared, Sakura had found herself staring into the night, body lulled into a strange state of sleep in which she was awake but all of her was relaxed, floating in a dream-like state. The tea sat pleasantly in her stomach, the air making her head light and the warmth of a solid body beside her safe. Every once in a while, Shikamaru's fingers would brush mindlessly through her hair, threading softly through cotton candy strands- and every time, it made her heart beat a little faster.

She hadn't questioned the intimate vibe that seemed to echo from the quietness around them, and for once, decided not to think, to just feel.

They couldn't have been sat there for more than forty minutes, but it had felt like hours stretched on end. Sakura suspected she might've fallen asleep right then and there if it weren't for the soft thud that echoed from the house.

Like a spell broken, both med-students had turned to look at the door from which they entered.

"Come on Yoshino, I don't feel like doing any manhandling today. You should be resting." Shikaku's exasperation could be heard through the barrier.

"You think you can _manhandle_ me, Shikaku Nara?" A raspy voice shrilled and Sakura winced at the no doubt unbearable strain that must have had on Yoshino's throat.

"Let us not find out." The man's sigh was loud and clear and Shikamaru echoed it from beside her and got up, detaching himself from her side and stealing her warmth.

"I should go," Sakura murmured, she too, pushing onto her feet so that she faced him. Shikamaru's lips pursed briefly, as if he was as regretful as her for the disruption, but then he smiled, and that light feeling in her chest was back.

"Okay," he said softly, brushing disarrayed pink strands out of her eye. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Sakura hummed, rising onto her toes to press a short, lingering kiss on his lips.

And now here she was, lying trapped in her soft linens and half expecting to wake up again. At least she could look forward to seeing him again today, and like a fresh breeze to a stagnant room, she found the energy to break the dreamy haze surrounding her.

She went about her morning routine, cleaning her face, and dressing. Having extra time on her hands made her arrive at the impromptu decision of curling her hair and fixing her chipped nail polish.

It was too cold outside to wear a dress but Sakura thought her high waisted jeans and long-sleeved red top were cute enough. On her way out she grabbed her coat, shrugging it on, and finally, her phone and purse before she was out of the door.

She took the steps down two at a time, excited at the prospect of having some extra time on her hands. It enabled her to stop for coffee and, at the back of her mind, Sakura knew Shikamaru always arrived early for class.

She grabbed two apples at the last minute, wondering if Shikamaru, too, was too lazy to fetch something to eat before the lecture.

When she made it to her class, she was pleasantly surprised to note Shikamaru really was already there and that her wishes came true. None of the three other students looked her way as she waltzed in, making her way to Shikamaru's desk and dropping the apple on his table.

His eyes flashed her way, abandoning the scenery beyond the window, widening a fraction when they landed on her, and did a quick sweep of her outfit before settling on her smiling face. "Morning. Got you an apple."

He smiled and reached to accept the offered fruit. "Hey. Thanks."

She giggled quietly as he took a giant bite out of the apple and then copied him, taking a bite of her own. "Sleep well?"

Shikamaru hummed, leaning his cheek on his palm. "Relatively. I just don't like being up so early."

Sakura nodded, leaning against a nearby desk and letting out a quiet breath. "I doubt anyone does. But there are advantages to everything."

"Yeah? Like?" He arched a challenging eyebrow.

"I don't know, like all the obnoxiously loud people being asleep at that time." Sakura shrugged with a toothy grin and Shikamaru snorted, taking another bite of his apple, chewing and swallowing before he spoke. "Fine. Fair point."

Students began to pour in afterwards and Sakura reluctantly excused herself to return to her seat.

Not a few minutes later, Kakashi Hatake stalked in and an abrupt hush fell upon the class. "Good morning."

His eyes did a quick sweep of every face in the class before he started taking the attendance. Sakura zoned out for a moment until she felt her phone vibrate quietly in her pocket.

Curious, she pulled it out, careful not to make it blatantly obvious she was texting, and noticed she had a new text message from Shikamaru.

Her eyebrows soared up as she clicked view, and then her face flushed at the contents. _I didn't get the chance to tell you, but you look beautiful today._

Sakura glanced at the teacher, and then turned her head to sneak a peek at Shikamaru. Though his head was still forward, his eyes were cast in her direction. She smiled at him as the butterflies rushed her, and then looked back to her phone. _Don't you dare call me a tomato again,_ she sent with a laughing emoji, followed by, _And thank you._

Shikamaru didn't text her again, and Sakura focused the best she could as Hatake began his lecture.

Sakura stretched her arms over her head at the end of class, flexing her fingers to rid them of the knots that came from taking so many notes- you'd expect a teacher as lazy as Kakashi to be pretty lax, except he seemed to know exactly how to make them _work_. She sighed as she gathered her belongings, deliberately moving slower to wait on Shikamaru.

A notebook was suddenly held out in front of her and she glanced up to see Neji on the other end of it. He was looking far more collected and put together than the last time she saw him. "Thank you," he remarked stiffly. "You're the only one that takes notes as proficiently as I do."

Sakura gave him an awkward smile; she supposed that was a compliment in Neji-nese. "You're welcome. Can I help you with anything else for class?"

He shook his head, silken hair wavering as he did so, and offered her a small smile. "Allowing me your notes was enough. If you need anything, let me know. I owe you one."

"You ready to go, Sakura?"

Startled, she looked up to see Shikamaru standing there next to her seat. He glanced at her, but then looked to Neji. His expression was unreadable, but she could feel the electricity humming from him. The class hadn't fully emptied yet, and some of the other students were watching, curious. "Oh… yeah, let me just finish packing."

Shikamaru held Neji's gaze, neither of them said a word as Sakura slipped the notebook and the rest of her materials into her bag. The awkward tension between the two men broke when Sakura stood. She beamed at Shikamaru. "Okay, let's go." And then she turned to Neji. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

Neji nodded and then spun on his heel and left the class. Shikamaru clicked his tongue against the back of his teeth with his departure, obviously not too fond of the Hyuuga. But then Sakura chuckled and Shikamaru's mood changed and he scoffed though it sounded more like a laugh.

"What?"

She shook her head with a smile as they walked out together. "Nothing."

"What is it?" he asked again.

"Nothing," she insisted, but when Shikamaru tugged on her hand and set his dark eyes on her, silently asking for her thoughts, she found herself caving. "Fine! You just seemed… Neji isn't…" She sighed, at a loss for the right words. "I'm not interested in Neji."

"It's not your interest in him that I'm worried about."

"Are you… _jealous_?" she asked as the realization fully struck her, and had to work to stop her jaw from going slack with surprise.

Shikamaru seemed to sulk. "Why would I be jealous of a Hyuuga?"

"The hair," Sakura replied and then laughed as he gave her an incredulous look. "I would kill to have shiny, salon quality hair every day."

He huffed, but Sakura bumped his hip with hers. "I share much more than just notes with you, you know."

His lips twitched into a crooked smile. "Yeah."

"Besides, if there was anyone you should worry about, it's your cousin Shikaten. He's so sweet," she teased, laughing lightly.

He laughed along as she strolled ahead of him, turning to walk backwards. She beckoned him closer with her finger. "Come on, I need coffee."

[Line break]

Sakura hummed as she made her way to her next class, lips still warm from coffee and the lingering press of Shikamaru's mouth to hers. He'd kissed her hidden behind the menu so no one else would see, and the warm tingling sensation of his lips stayed with her, rippled throughout the rest of her body. It made the rest of her day quite pleasant- that is until a major test was announced for the following week for Miss Kurenai's organic chemistry class.

She had been struggling a bit with the current topic, even with the study sessions with Shikamaru. She could feel the anxiety pooling in her stomach already, but she knew what she had to do.

That evening when she got home, she set up her table for a study session. Her notes were laid out, different color highlights littered throughout. Her books stacked on one side, a drink and some snacks on the other, Sakura prepared to delve wholeheartedly into her work.

Things were going smoothly for the first hour or so. She'd used her self-made flashcards and went over vocabularies and formulas. And then she focused on her books until her eyes stung. She tried to remember what Shikamaru had shown her, about going through a question backwards to pick out what information they were asking for, but the longer she stared at the small blocks of letters the less sense it all seemed to make.

The sky was dark when Sakura decided to stop, frustrated and unhappy, with a headache pulsing readily behind her eyes. She'd been at University all day, and then studied for hours afterwards; and this topic alone was enough to exhaust anyone, really. She scrubbed her hands over her face and then picked up her phone. It had been face down, on silent, while she worked.

There was two unread message from Shikamaru suggesting they hang out soon; hoping she'd thought of something for them to do this time. The next was him informing her he'd be busy today but will text her as soon as his mum got off his back.

Sakura sighed. It was just past ten, and her head begged for mercy as the ache in it persisted. Anxiety still sat in her gut like heavy cement and she sent a quick prayer to whoever was listening that she be able to get some restful sleep tonight.

Lazily, with her feet dragging, Sakura went through her nightly routine; she washed her face and brushed her teeth, braided her growing hair and snuggled beneath her covers. Her phone lay on the nightstand, stealing her thoughts every so often and making her huff in frustration and twist away so it wasn't directly in her view.

But it was futile. Without the thoughts of Shikamaru filling her stomach with nervous excitement, dread weighed heavily on her yet again, her mind drifting unrestrained through every horrible possibility regarding her upcoming exam.

Sakura took a few moments to despair, allowing her frustration to consume her. Would it always be this way? Would it always feel like this whenever an exam was around the corner? How could she ever make it if she always devolved into some pitiful clump of fears and anxieties that clouded her mind and destroyed her sleep?

Her heart twisted again - a painful, familiar clenching in her chest that turned her breathing into rapid, short puffs of air and stung her eyes with tears she would never let escape.

She tried to think of her father, how helpless she had felt whenever he'd gotten ill and how she was doing this for him, but instead of easing her anxiety, the thought further filled her with trepidation. She sat up, taking in as deep a breath as she could, letting her chest expand until it hurt. Then as she slowly let it out her hand fell over her heart, pressing hard against her sternum, and feeling her pulse race beneath her touch.

She glanced at her window, suddenly feeling as if she were trapped and looking for a quick way out. "Yeah," she mumbled to herself with a nod as she got out of bed. She picked up her phone and opened her messages. Her fingers flew over the screen as she typed a message to Shikamaru, _Are you awake?_

She began to change out of her pyjamas, slipping into a pair of leggings. Her phone chimed and she picked it up, swiping to see his reply. _Yeah, I'm actually getting ready to leave Chouji's place. What's up?_

Sakura raked her teeth over her bottom lip as she sent her answer. _Can we meet? I know what I want to share with you._

Tossing her phone onto her bed, Sakura headed for her closet. She pulled out a too-large sweater and slipped it over her head, mussing her braid up but not caring enough to fix it as she bent over to grab her shoes from beneath the table and tugged them on. Lastly, she grabbed her phone and car keys before hurrying out of her apartment and into the fresh, crisp air.

Her phone chimed as she received Shikamaru's reply; _Sure. We can meet in front of Miki's grocery store?_

Her thumb flew over the keyboard, her other hand already unlocking her car. _See you in 10._

She hopped into the comfortable, familiar warmth of her car, closing the door and igniting the engine simultaneously. The radio flicked on and came to life, blasting some obnoxiously loud music. "For god's sake…"

Muting the radio, Sakura twisted the steering wheel and circled out of the parking lot. Her chest felt so tight but she knew it wouldn't ease up until she got away from the bright, overhead lights of shops and businesses and into somewhere quieter and dimmer.

True to his words, Shikamaru was sitting on the sidewalk by the grocery store when she arrived, headphones in and a cup in his hand, a cigarette between his fingers. He exhaled a cloud of smoke, his head tilting back and his lungs deflating.

He was bundled up in a black sweatshirt much like her own, dark skinny jeans and a pair of sports shoes. The no doubt cold breeze swept by, ruffling his ponytail and for a moment Sakura was as breathless as that time when he'd kissed her and her impromptu decision seemed to pay off.

Her chest still felt heavy but she found it easy to smile when his eyes rose to meet hers through the windshield.

Shikamaru extinguished his cigarette on the asphalt, getting up with his coffee cup and dusting his behind. Sakura watched him trudge across the street and into the passenger's side, her stomach a different kind of fluttery now.

They were venturing into new territory, she could feel it as he opened the door and gracefully slid into the seat next to her, smiling crookedly but with the telltales of worry in his deep brown eyes. "Hey. Are you okay?"

Sakura nodded, easily meeting his gaze. He had the warmest shade of brown eyes she'd ever had the pleasure of seeing. "I'm fine just…" she made a vague motion with her hand. "Anxious. Yeah. I usually go for a drive so I thought… you said it was my turn to share something so..."

Shikamaru set his cup into the drink holder and his hand fell over hers, his warmth wrapping around her fingers. She looked down at their hands for a moment and let out a deep sigh. When he squeezed her hand, it pulled her out of her daze. His brow was lightly creased, but he offered a smile anyway. "I'm right here, and I'm ready for whatever you have in store."

Sakura put the car in drive, and then they were pulling out of the parking lot. She told Shikamaru he could control the music, but he didn't touch the radio, opting to listen to the natural purr of the engine and the road beneath them.

It was silent, with the exception of Sakura's fingers drumming nervously against the steering wheel, for nearly twenty minutes. "I'm sorry," she muttered, feeling a wave of self-consciousness wash over her.

"For what?"

 _For dragging you out here, for being weird like this… but hey at least you'll find out what brand of crazy I am and save yourself time._ Sakura's pessimism ran high, but she couldn't voice those thoughts. Not on top of all the other emotions battering her from within. She shook her head instead. "Nothing."

Shikamaru frowned, but she missed it, focused on the road instead. He looked out the window and realized that the city lights were fading behind them. "So where are we going?"

"When I first got back to Konoha, I spent so many nights driving around and re-familiarizing myself with the streets. It's amazing how much stays the same and yet changes in the span of a few years. When I couldn't sleep, or when I was missing my parents, or my anxiety was just running too high, I just got in my car and drove and it would make me feel better." Was she rambling? She spared a brief glance at Shikamaru from the corner of her eye to find him watching the road with a serene expression on his face.

He hummed softly. "I can understand that."

"You didn't have to agree to this you know." Sakura murmured, her heart sinking at the thought of him asking her to drop him back home.

"I know." he agreed, his hand squeezing hers. "But I like this, stop worrying."

Sakura nodded, the tension lining her shoulders relaxing exponentially.

Shikamaru carried on speaking in a hushed tone, sounding thoughtful. "You don't have to talk about this if you don't want to, but what triggered your anxiety right now?"

The rosette took a shallow breath and released it slowly, wondering how to phrase her answer. "I have an upcoming exam for Kurenai-sensei's class. It's my worst topic and I have just a few days to study." She met his eyes for a moment, and seeing no judgment there, carried on. "I have to maintain a certain level. I'm here on a scholarship, if my grades drop beneath ninety-five percent, I'm at risk of losing it."

He sighed quietly. "That's troublesome… but you know what? You got a scholarship for a reason and you are crazy smart. Don't let organic chemistry make you forget that." He squeezed her hand again, sending her her favourite smile. "Besides, I'm here. Whenever you need me to help, don't hesitate to ask. I really don't mind."

Sakura felt her heart start racing in earnest for reasons other than her despised anxiety. Whatever did she do to deserve someone as sweet and caring as Shikamaru? She let out a small laugh, blinking back the moisture gathering in her eyes. "Yeah… you're right. I have you. That's a very comforting thought," she murmured thoughtlessly, not noticing the way Shikamaru's face warmed, and the way he tried to hide his sheepish smile behind his coffee cup.

What she did notice, however, was the shift in his hand around hers as he threaded their fingers together and gave them another squeeze.

Her face immediately warmed at the feeling of his larger fingers slipping through hers, his calloused palm pressing against her own.

Sakura turned, merging onto another highway, and they began going up the mountain. Shikamaru didn't ask any further questions, just continued to rub soothing circles across her hand with his thumb. About halfway up the mountain was a scenic overview that Sakura pulled over to. There was a covered picnic area, a trash can, and not much else. During the day you could see the plots of land divided for farming, the forest beyond, and the roads that twisted into the city. In warmer months there would be floods of color as flowers and trees bloomed.

But at night, there was nothing but city lights in the distance, like a dark man-made sky mimicking the one above. It went on forever, and as pretty as it looked, it held nothing to the real sky. And up here, away from the center of Konoha, there wasn't any light pollution to interfere with the dark abyss of the heavens.

Sakura pressed the button to lower the convertible rooftop of her car, letting a gust of cool wind and the smell of fresh air to wash over her like a much-needed breath of relief. The roof receded, uncovering the endless stretch of the inky skies; everything was darker, vivider, quieter here.

She inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with icy air. "This. This is what I wanted to share." She exhaled quietly.

Shikamaru's head leaned back, looking up at the sky with something like wonder. "Wow."

Her lips twitched up in a small smile, turning to watch the sky too. If Sakura loved one thing the most in the world, it had to be the stars.

On some of the numerous times she found herself on this very hill, wishing she'd get lost within the endless constellations spread a thousand light years out of her reach, Sakura hoped for a miracle that would allow her to reach out and touch the stars. And that maybe, just maybe, the magic in it would drag her away into another plane of existence where worries and pains seized to exist and all that was left was the breathless, exhilarating sensation of being lost to something so marvellous, so beautiful, it overwhelmed her mind and soul. The galaxies always struck her speechless. She told Shikamaru that much.

He seemed oddly moved at her choice of words, his hand in hers another form of anchor she never thought she'd ever have. But by all rights, he was there and his presence, here, with her, in this incredibly vulnerable moment, filled her with a security like none other she'd ever had.

Sakura relaxed, the remaining tension slowly seeping out of her, the weight on her chest gradually lifting. There was nothing up here but the icy bite, the vast quietness interrupted only by distant car sounds, the whoosh of a cool breeze, and the cocoon of security provided by her car and Shikamaru's presence.

It was only a few minutes of silence before she involuntary shivered at the chilliness that invaded her space.

Shikamaru looked at her, having sensed the slight quivering of her frame, and arched a delicate brow. "Cold?"

Sakura gave a small nod, which strangely enough elicited a soft smile from him that added to the growing, curling warmth in her chest. She watched curiously as he got out of the car, rounded to the backseat, and slid back in. He stretched comfortably, a small blush dusting his cheeks as he patted the space next to him. "C'mere."

She bit the inside of her cheek, her heartbeat stuttering as she unbuckled her seatbelt and twisted around. She hopped over to the backseat, landing next to him.

His lips twisted into a small, shy smile as he extended his arm across the backrest, intent clear. Heart still galloping, Sakura accepted his offer, scooting closer and laying her head on his shoulder. The arm behind her circled tentatively around her frame, tugging her closer and nuzzling her to his side. The scent of his aftershave washed over her, the warmth of his body engulfed her side, and Sakura relaxed into his hold, the lasts of her anxiety dissipating.

"Thank you," she murmured as her arm curled around his middle, "for coming out here with me, calming me down…"

His other arm fell over hers, his hand cupping her elbow. "Thank you for bringing me."

* * *

 **Welp, there you have it! Deni and I have been facing a tough writer's block so I hope you guys like this. Any reviews/compliments/critics/fangirling is welcome and appreciated. Have a good day honeys.**

 **-Rams**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Sakura had slept more peacefully that night than she had in a long time. She'd dropped Shikamaru back off in front of the grocery store at nearly one in the morning, apologizing for taking up so much of his time. His only reply had been to cup her face and give her a kiss - lingering, soft and warm - as his thumb stroked over her cheek.

She'd waited awake in bed until Shikamaru messaged her that he had made it home safely. And when she'd closed her eyes, sleep took her quickly and effortlessly.

Sakura spent the weekend catching up with her parents over the phone and studying with Shikamaru one more time. She wanted to make sure she had a solid grasp on the material, and having him quiz her - and getting all the answers right - only boosted her confidence.

"Now put the books away and reward yourself." He told her with a quiet laugh. "You deserve it."

So she did, with a couple episodes of a show she had been watching with Ino and had fallen behind on.

By the time Wednesday rolled around, Sakura was feeling better about Kurenai sensei's test. An apple had been waiting atop her desk when she walked into Kakashi's class. She looked immediately to Shikamaru who waved at her, a half eaten apple of his own in his hand. She mouthed a thank you and bit into it as she sat.

And then later, she received a text from Shikamaru that read ' _Not that you need it, but good luck today. You've got this.'_ That may or may not have had anything to do with the calm confidence that radiated off her as she entered Kurenai's class.

* * *

The following week breezed by more smoothly, Sakura less nervous than she was before now that the exam was behind her, and her thoughts were yet again more focused around a certain dark-haired man. She spent that weekend studying with him, trying hard not to be distracted by the timbre of his voice as he explained chemistry and things about bonds and hard and slow— and promptly failed when he looked at her with his dark, coffee coloured eyes. Sakura had reached over the table and kissed him, soft and slow, marvelling at the feel of his hair beneath her palm and the taste of him on her lips.

There was a strange sense of pride welling inside her as she recalled the way he seemed to melt against her, exhaling sharply through his nose at their contact. She'd had to break away lest they got caught and kicked out of the library, but it was worth the darkening blush Shikamaru held throughout the rest of their session.

She received her grades the following Wednesday, nearly having a heart attack when she noticed the big red 97 at the top of her page. The look of pride in Kurenai sensei's eyes as she handed her the paper stayed with her for the rest of the day and she vowed to pay Shikamaru back for his help one way or another.

She had dialed his number, waiting for the line to connect before greeting him with the cheesiest line ever, "Hello? Shikamaru-sensei? Hi. Guess who got a ninety-seven on their test? Are you or are you the best tutor ever?"

Shikamaru had let out a long and hearty laugh, the sound of it warming her from head to toe and making her wish he was there so she could kiss him senseless. Sakura was that elated. She'd never gotten over ninety-one in any of her chemistry exams, so this was a big accomplishment. She told Shikamaru that much.

"Hey, that calls for a celebration!" He had replied, voice echoing his grin. "Ino's been nagging me for another hangout, we should totally go for drinks this Friday to celebrate."

Sakura giggled happily, nodding even though he couldn't see her. "That sounds good. I owe you a few kisses."

"I'm not going to complain." He chuckled warmly. "I'll see you Friday then?"

"You bet," she replied, her cheeks heating. "Bye bye."

"Bye-bye honey."

The tingling warmth in her chest at the affectionate name stayed with her still until today. She let out a content breath as she parked by the Yamanaka's flower shop, her chest feeling light at the thought of being in Shikamaru's presence again.

Sakura felt so happy and weightless she wanted to kiss him for hours for inspiring that feeling in her chest. She got out of her car, excitement building in her bones, and it was as if the universe was on her side as she looked up and noticed Shikamaru strolling towards the shop from the opposite direction. She rounded the front of her car and smiled brightly as he looked up and saw her. His smile mirrored her own as he plucked the cigarette from his lips.

He blew out a plume of smoke and flicked the butt away. "There's my star pupil."

There was a lightness to her step as she joined his side. "I believe I owe you thanks. Did we ever agree on how many kisses it was?"

He chuckled, the sound low and alluring. "I believe you said a few, but I'll take all you're willing to give me."

Sakura spun on her foot to face him as they stopped just before the door. "The only problem with that," she paused as his brow quirked and her grin grew, "is that we'd be stuck out here all night."

"To be honest, that's not a bad way to spend the night," he replied. His hand lifted, brushing her bangs from her face.

His touch ghosted down her cheek and Sakura felt her heart stutter. She was tempted to yank him down to her and taste his lips already.

"They're here, Ino!" Chouji's voice boomed on the other side of the door.

They jerked away from each other and Sakura couldn't contain the disappointment that burned in her chest. But Shikamaru's fingertips swept down her hand, briefly curled around her fingers and squeezed. His hand left hers just as the door opened.

"It's about time!" Ino remarked, but the way she was beaming at them said the annoyance was just for show. She stepped out, Chouji right behind her, and she linked her arm with Shikamaru as she continued, pulling him along. "First round is on me!"

Sakura laughed and then greeted Chouji as they followed.

The small pub was tucked away into a quaint corner location. They were greeted immediately, and Ino led the way to a table of her choice. Chouji sat with a content sigh, and as Ino was giving their drink orders, Shikamaru pulled the chair out for Sakura.

She smiled gently at him and muttered a thank you. As she sat, she noticed Chouji looking at the two of them with mild wonder and perhaps a bit of disbelief.

Ino plopped down next to Chouji, and across from Shikamaru, promptly poking him. "Want anything to eat?"

"Nah, mom made me eat dinner before I left."

"What about you, Chouji?"

"Mmm I could go for some pork rinds."

The blonde nodded happily and then turned her questioning gaze to her other friend. "Sakura?"

"Just a drink is fine for now."

"Okay. I'm glad you decided to come with us again, Forehead."

"Me too."

"She deserves it. Did you tell her about your test?" Shikamaru asked, eyes shining brightly as he grinned at her.

Sakura blushed a little, flashing an awkward smile. "I got a 97, my highest Chem grade yet."

Ino high-fived her across the table. "That's awesome! I knew you could do it."

"I wouldn't have been able to do it without Shikamaru."

At her words, two sets of stunned eyes turned to regard the man in discussion. He shifted under their gaze. "What?" He bit out, exasperated.

Ino snorted. "Shikamaru studied? _Willingly_?" she teased as their drinks were set in front of them.

He sighed. "I can open a book occasionally you know."

Ino only laughed and turned to place the order for the pork rinds. Sakura leaned over to him. "I'm sorry, I didn't think-"

"It's alright," he assured her. "It's not the first time I've been the butt of one of Ino's jokes."

"And it won't be the last," Ino quipped with a large grin as she picked up her glass. "To Sakura for nabbing that A… and for making Shikamaru study!"

Shikamaru heaved another sigh, but lifted his glass anyway. Chouji was still silently staring at Shikamaru, but he lifted his glass, too. Sakura giggled and clinked hers together with the group.

They took big gulps of their drink, laughing all the while. Sakura wondered how her life had become so intertwined with this group; how lucky she was to have Ino for a best friend and for having met a genuine, sweet man like Shikamaru, and a brilliant, dedicated person like Chouji. She didn't want to remember what it was like before them. She silently prayed for it to always be this way.

She felt Shikamaru's fingertips ghost over the jutting bone of her wrist under the table, circling slowly, his fingers trailing over her palm and down her fingers, stroking her skin with calloused fingertips that had tingles racing down her spine.

Sakura's breath caught slightly but she forced her shoulders to relax as the waitress came back with their ordered food. Glancing at Shikamaru out of the corner of her eye she found him slouched against the table, palm cupping his cheek and a small smile twitching the corner of his mouth.

Nimble fingers continued to stroke over her digits, sliding gently between the nooks of her fingers, his thumb caressing her knuckles. The motion was tantalizing, teasing as it moved ever so lightly.

It wasn't helping to subdue the craving that was building for him. His startling light caress made her feel crazy, no matter how innocent the intention. And even while she indulged in conversation and laughed at jokes, she couldn't help but let her eyes linger on him for longer than they should have. The way his mouth twitched into smile after smile, the movement of his throat as he drank, or how he'd talk around the cigarette between his lips, she was drawn to every single delicious movement. How she wanted to tear the cigarette away from his mouth and place her lips there instead.

By the third round in, the alcohol was making her feel warm, emboldened, and when he tangled his fingers with hers again she pulled his hand toward her leg. Their hands rested on her knee, and she smiled as she listened to Ino, feeling his eyes on her. The weight of his touch was magical, heat travelling from their point of contact.

Sakura could barely breathe; she felt hot all over, like she was ready to combust. She couldn't take it anymore. She had to get him alone, just for a moment. She freed her fingers from his grasp and stood with an idea. "I gotta run to the bathroom."

Ino nodded. "I'm gonna order us some chicken and then be behind you!"

Shikamaru watched as Sakura rounded the table, turning to wink at him before continuing on, hoping he'd come after her. He stood a moment later. "I gotta go, too, be right back. One more round?"

Ino beamed at him. "You bet!"

Shikamaru headed toward the bathrooms, catching up to Sakura. He grabbed her hand as they turned down the hallway to the restrooms, pulling her back to him. She squeaked in surprise and then giggled as he lifted his hand and dragged his knuckles down her cheek.

"You're quite the tease," he murmured.

"Like you have any room to talk," she replied, her chest aching, fire pulsing through her veins with every beat of her heart.

He glanced back towards the dining area as her hands rested at his hips. "We don't have a lot of time, you know."

"Then hurry up and kiss me," she demanded, even though her voice was little more than a desperate whisper.

His lips did that breathtakingly cute twitch as he cupped her face and leaned in. Sakura sighed as she closed her eyes, content as his mouth melded to hers. He hummed against her, his warmth pressing in on her, overtaking her senses. He exhaled shakily against her as his tongue swept across her bottom lip, and she parted her mouth to allow him access. She could taste the beer, the faint trace of tobacco, and that underlying flavor that was all Shikamaru as their tongues rolled together. Her grip tightened at his hips, her head swimming as she drowned in her desire for him.

He gently pulled away, their lips meshing together once and then twice more. She opened her eyes to see his tongue pass over his lips, as if still tasting her. She smiled at him, his face all she could focus on in the hazy aftermath of their kiss. He reluctantly took a step back. "You should go back first." He chuckled as she pouted. "You can pay me the rest later."

She nodded, her pout morphing into a grin. "I look forward to it."

"Me, too, cause I charge interest you know."

Her smile brightened and she playfully poked his shoulder. "Quit, or I'll never leave."

He stepped back again, dropping his hands from her face. "Okay, okay… go on."

She took a step back and then turned to leave as he went into the bathroom. She was on cloud nine, her entire body buzzing with energy. Her lips tingled and her heart raced beneath her ribcage, and she was so occupied with her thoughts that she bumped right into Ino.

Her friend laughed. "Geez, Forehead, are you drunk already?"

Sakura fanned herself, still intoxicated by the memory of his lips. "Maybe a little."

"Next round is on you, okay?"

Sakura nodded and gave her a thumbs up before turning back towards the tables. In a way she was relieved that they had stopped when they did. She didn't know how to explain their relationship to anyone else just yet, nor was she ready for the thrill of their secret to be over. She wanted to keep him all to herself; even more, she knew how selfish she was being, and she didn't care. She should've been troubled at that thought, but she was in way too deep to pay any mind to it.

Shikamaru joined them a few moments later, and Ino was right behind him. A plate of fried chicken arrived at the same time, but Sakura's appetite craved something else and she didn't feel like erasing Shikamaru's taste from her lips just yet. And so she declined when Chouji offered her some and let her fingers graze the side of Shikamaru's, curling her pinkie around his. When their eyes met for a brief second, she saw that he was smiling and felt her stomach quiver with happy butterflies.

Another round of alcohol followed soon after and while Sakura worried about driving back home, her brain was such a pleasant swirl of excitement and haziness that she didn't linger over the thought for too long. She could always take a cab home.

The atmosphere of the pub became a little on the stifling side as the temperature steadily rose, but Sakura attributed some of that to the touch still exploring the curves and lines of her hand, racing over every inch.

Shikamaru surely knew how to steal her breath away. His palm was bigger, firmer, and warm too as it drew patterns of fire on her skin. Sakura drew in a quiet, stuttering breath when he dropped her hand to lay his palm flat on her thigh, his fingers curving gently into the space her thighs pressed together.

His thumb circled the clothed skin, squeezing the flesh beneath his palm, and Sakura nearly moaned, her entire body buzzing. She picked up her glass and stared down at it for a moment, looking beyond it to Shikamaru's hand as his fingers continued to dance along her leg. She was willing to bet that he was doing this on purpose - the awful, awful man.

"Sakura! Hello?"

The rosette blinked and looked up across the table. Ino was barely containing a laugh, but Chouji looked a little concerned. "I'm sorry, what?" she offered.

Ino giggled. "Okay, you're cut off! I was saying you should crash at my place since you're obviously plastered."

"No, I'm not!"

"You were staring into your drink for like five minutes," Ino argued, finding it quite hilarious. She continued to laugh even as Sakura glared at her. "Come on, just stay at my place. Drunk pedicures! Mom makes awesome hangover soup."

"Fine, okay, I'll stay."

Ino cheered, turning to face their male companions, "You guys should stay too! It's been _ages_ since we had a sleepover."

Shikamaru seemed to hesitate whereas Chouji's face broke into a wide grin as he agreed. His eyes briefly met Sakura's, dancing along her features, lingering on the flush in her cheeks and her hazy green eyes. Any protest he might've had died in his throat. He turned back to Ino, shrugging with his practiced nonchalance. "Sounds good."

Clapping her hands together, Ino stood up and fluttered away to pay the bill. Chouji ran after her, "Goddammit Ino, you're not paying the whole thing!"

Shikamaru's hand reluctantly dropped from her thigh, the back of his fingers brushing hers one last time as his touch withdrew. Sakura immediately missed the contact. Her body was still buzzing with the haze of alcohol and the adrenaline of his touch. She didn't want it to stop anytime soon.

He stood up. "Come on, let's go."

Sakura, too, clambered to her feet and stumbled a bit as she rounded her chair. His arms immediately shot out to steady her, wrapping around her back and bicep and pulling her against him. She exhaled sharply at the feeling of his strong hold on her and his hard chest at her back.

She had half a mind to rotate and press herself against him. Sakura mentally reprimanded herself as she stepped out of his hold; _Step number one: never drink alcohol around this evil, evil man._

Sakura was drunk enough to blame him for the effect he had on her. It was just so unfair that he made her whole body feel on edge constantly, like she might burst or dissolve or lose her very mind from his innocent touches turned more…

Ino and Chouji joined them soon after and they exited together, Ino chatting excitedly as they headed for her car. Her house was just a few blocks away, but Ino insisted she was alright to drive, leaving them no choice but to follow after her.

The ride was a blur, Sakura's brain working to catalogue every sensation she had experienced in the pub and running over all the possibilities of being under the same roof as him the whole night.

The thought made her squirm in her seat. How, oh just how were they going to sneak those kisses? It excited her more than she thought it would, the idea of having to sneak around to kiss him without anyone noticing.

Ino's mum was getting ready for bed when they got home. Inoichi had been mid-yawn, his hand reaching to wrap around his wife's middle when they walked into the living room. Inoichi sighed. "Towels in the cupboard down the hallway, food in the fridge." And with that he steered the brunette away and upstairs to their bedroom.

Her blonde friend groaned. "Ugh, you guys are so gross!"

Sakura giggled drunkenly, Ino joining her seconds later. "I'm sorry about them. One of you can use the bathroom upstairs, and the one here." She motioned behind her. "You'll find towels inside."

The blonde yawned for a long moment, before continuing in a mumble, "I'll get your pyjamas."

Sakura sank into the plush couch in the living room as Ino disappeared to hand Chouji and Shikamaru clothes and then returned to fling a pair of sweatpants and a tank top her way. The rosette grunted, not bothering to get up.

Shikamaru was just behind the blonde, trudging down the stairs, Chouji absent— probably having taken the bathroom upstairs. Ino was quick to leave again, muttering something about getting comfortable.

The rosette sighed contentedly and then made the mistake of locking gazes with deep brown orbs. The muted buzzing of her body skyrocketed once again and she had to inhale deeply to calm herself. _Gods_ , what _was_ wrong with her…

She patted the space next to her on the cushions, never breaking eye contact and watched intently as he rounded the couch and stopped just in front of her. Sakura gazed up at him from beneath sooty lashes, body suspended on edge.

For a moment, it seemed like the world slowed down; time stretched longer and the atmosphere grew heavier, weighing down on them. And then nothing else but him mattered.

Shikamaru bent down, forcing her back against the backrest as his palms landed on either side of her head, bracketing her between his arms. His scent invaded her senses, his body towering over hers and taking up her entire vision so that she could see nothing but the broad expense of his shoulders and the strong tendons lining his neck.

She swallowed thickly, suddenly unsure of which she craved more, the soft of his lips or the taste of his skin.

Thankfully, he decided for her, leaning in until he was bare inches away from her mouth, lips ghosting over her own like phantom caresses, warm breath electrifying her skin. "About those kisses…" he husked, his nose brushing tantalisingly along her own.

"Mhmm?" She hummed, heady. Her palms came up to cup his neck, feeling the heated skin and strong thudding of his heart beneath her fingertips. Her thumb circled the flesh ever-so-lightly, sensing the way his pulse stuttered and faltered beneath her touch.

"Maybe later… when everyone's asleep…" the raspy note of his voice had her closing her eyes and exhaling sharply, his words making her stomach curl with anticipation.

"Why not now?" Sakura's voice wobbled slightly and her fingers dug in the tense muscles at the back of his neck, silently urging him to close the scant distance between them and kiss her already.

"Because…" Shikamaru whispered, his lips brushing hers lightly and Sakura sighed longingly. "I might not be able to stop."

Her spine shuddered. _Oh_. Oh, he was just too much for her to take.

The quiet thud of footsteps reached their ears causing Shikamaru to straighten to his full height, all smooth movements and grace. Sakura swallowed again, feeling faint. She wanted to kiss him so badly she ached.

He had been so close…

Chouji came into view, having finished changing, and there was no denying the heavy tension hanging in the air. Sakura avoided looking at him, afraid of pinning him with her glare. If only he had waited another minute…

Heart still warbling in her chest, Sakura clambered onto her feet, knees weak but suddenly needing to escape the hanging tension lest she risked doing something stupid - like pressing her mouth to Shikamaru's, Chouji be damned. "I'm going to change," she announced tersely, hurrying upstairs to where she would be spending the night in Ino's bedroom.

The last thing she heard before disappearing around the corner was Shikamaru's tired sigh and Chouji's worried inquiry of whether Shikamaru was okay.

* * *

Sakura humored Ino and partook in drunken pedicures, and luckily Ino got more green on her nails than the toes themselves. She could feel her eyes growing heavy as the time passed, and her friend's constant yawning did nothing to keep the drowsiness at bay. But she was not going to go to sleep, not until she had thoroughly enjoyed the feel of Shikamaru's lips pressed to hers.

Ino had tossed Sakura an extra pillow and claimed she was going to sleep nearly fifteen minutes ago. But as they laid there, her friend rambled sleepily about how much fun she'd had, and how they needed to spend more time together. Her voice tapered off into a yawn and then ceased.

In the stillness of Ino's room, a soft snore rose above the sound of the oscillating fan. She pulled her phone out and messaged Shikamaru. _Ready for those kisses yet?_

Her phone buzzed a moment later, her heart fluttering as it did. _Meet me in the kitchen._

Sakura sat up and peered at her friend. "Ino?" she tentatively called out, voice just above a whisper. There was no movement or reply. "I'm gonna go get some water," she lied, just in case.

She carefully got to her feet, still slightly buzzed from the alcohol that had yet to leave her system, and tiptoed from her bedroom. She quietly shut the door and then hurried down the stairs. The sounds of Chouji's snores were considerably louder than her friend's, and she bit back a giddy chuckle as she slipped through the room. She rounded the doorway into the kitchen and gasped as Shikamaru promptly snatched her arm and pulled her against him.

"I've been waiting for this all night." He murmured, wrapping an arm around her waist and pressing them together.

The breath caught in her throat as his warm hand cupped her cheek, his mere touch burning and tantalizing all at once. His thumb slid across her bottom lip and Sakura let her eyes fall closed, surrendering herself as he tilted her face towards his.

His breath rolled across her lips as his mouth slanted over hers. His kiss felt more thrilling than it had at the pub; she wrapped her arms around his neck, melting into his embrace as she followed his pace to the best of her ability. His hands were so strong and secure as he held her to his body, his tongue nudging and hinting at his desire to deepen the kiss.

Sakura complied, moaning softly as his slick muscle grazed her own, twisting together languidly. And though his kiss seemed unhurried, the boldness of his hands told a completely different story.

The hem of her shirt was twisted tightly in one of his hands, tugging in tandem with the growing tension in both of them. His other hand rested on her hip, squeezing at the flesh with every stroke of his tongue, making her squirm against him. Her breasts brushed against him with every breath, leaving her heady, and wanting, and wound tightly like a spring about to break.

She broke the kiss with a quiet moan, her head falling back against the wall with a thud as his mouth pressed heated kisses onto her chin and up her jawline, parting to suck gently at the skin.

Sakura's teeth sank in her lower lip and she shuddered against the feel of his mouth moving over her pulse. She tugged at his neck, her toes curling. "Shikamaru… _oh_..."

Tangling her fingers in his hair, she desperately pulled him in for another kiss, afraid she might dissolve under his touch, but wanting - needing - more. Their mouths met in another fiery dance, his hands sliding down her sides and curving around the back of her thighs in a firm hold.

Knowing what he was about to do, Sakura clutched onto his shoulders, grasping tightly at taut muscles. He broke the tangle of their tongues long enough to lift her off the ground and press her against the wall with his body.

Sakura gasped wrapping her legs around him and shuddering again as she felt him against her, all lean muscles and building heat. Their mouths resumed their dance and Shikamaru carefully manoeuvred them around, taking a few steps into the kitchen before her bottom met something hard and cool. Sakura found herself on the kitchen counter with him trapped in the space between her thighs, so close yet so far away.

Fingers dug in her thighs as the kiss turned into a wet tangle of tongues, her fingers twisting restlessly in his hair. Sakura had to pull away first, deliriously breathless and feeling more drunk than before. In a bold move, she reached for his hair tie and yanked it free, causing dark tresses to spill over his shoulders.

His hair was silky under her touch, easily sliding between her fingers. Sakura took a shuddering breath, briefly cupping his cheek and admiring the sight of him so unmade. His chest heaved visibly, his face flushed, and his hair an attractive mess. Her eyes fell to his kiss-swollen lips and she lost yet another fight, drawing him in for another round.

This time their mouths met with something gentler, less demanding. His tongue stroked hers sensually, like he was savouring her taste, his hands sliding up her thighs slowly, inch by agonising inch, up and down, up and down until her fingers were digging in his shoulders, her body struggling to contain the mounting tension winding in her gut.

His mouth strayed once more, like it had a mind of its own, like he was absolutely helpless against the allure of the pale stretch of her skin. His kisses were slow, exploring, worshipping as they transcended the length of her neck, moving with precise delicate movements that stripped her of her breath.

Sakura moaned, low and deep in her throat, her eyes shutting tightly against the sinful sensation. One of Shikamaru's hands drifted up her hip, his thumb skimming the soft skin beneath her shirt ever so lightly, with the barest hints of hesitation. He teased along the flesh, drawing abstract patterns into the shivering skin of her stomach until she thought she might go mad.

Everything felt bigger, more vivid; every little touch, like electricity, fanning the flames inside her to dangerous extents.

With every touch of his mouth on her, some of Sakura's self control diminished and fell apart. Unable to resist anymore, she let her hands grip his sides, her thumbs dragging along the ridges of his abdomen and sliding beneath his shirt to slowly map out the expanse of his torso.

His skin was soft, yet taut over semi-defined abdominals, and pleasant to the touch. She could see his figure more clearly in her head, and as her hands carefully explored him, she made small mental notes so that she never missed any detail, so that she could imagine him better from now on.

"Shika," she gasped, a half moan-half sigh, and his mouth was suddenly covering hers again, swallowing her sounds.

His stomach clenched under her touch, his breathing ragged, his blunt nails scraping against her hips as he curled his fingers. It sent a pleasant tremor up her body that had her arching against him and blindly tugging him closer. Her entire body felt as of it were on fire, and gods did she love to burn when it was his doing.

Her other hand tangled in his hair, fisting a handful as he tugged her closer to the edge of the counter. She whimpered into his mouth, feeling his body so close to hers, feeling the heat and the hardness that was undeniably masculine. The hand splayed over his torso lowered and curved around to his back, her fingers inching just below the waistline of his pants.

She could feel him inhale sharply, his grasp tightened, and then his lips slowed. His tongue crawled over hers to a leisurely stop, and their mouths met softer. He broke the kiss, a shaky sigh ghosting across her face. She could hear him swallow, and rein in his breathing as his forehead touched hers. Sakura knew she was breathing just as hard, that her lips were just as kiss-bruised, and her face just as flushed. His hands continued to squeeze and rub along her hips and as she opened her eyes she noticed he still had his closed. She lifted her head, giving him a soft peck on the tip of his nose. The gesture caused him to finally look at her.

Unfocused brown eyes met hazy green and locked gazes for a long moment, listening as their breathing slowed so that they were no longer panting for air. The hands moving over her hips came to a gradual stop and one hand came up to gently cup her cheek, his thumb stroking lightly along the flushed skin.

Sakura leaned into his touch, her eyes fluttering shut and she inhaled deeply, trying to contain the pressure inside her, to calm down.

Shikamaru took another wavering breath before he spoke, voice marvellously husky, quiet like the night. "I think you should go to sleep now."

Sakura opened her eyes, and she saw the desperate hold he had on his self control deep in his gaze. For a moment she entertained the thought of ignoring it, of kissing him until he fell apart, but she knew better. They were in her best friend's kitchen and it was probably way past midnight. And so she gave an acquiescing nod and titled her face up for one last peck.

Shikamaru lingered a moment longer before he dragged himself away from her, gripping her hips and helping her off the counter. Sakura wobbled for a moment, holding onto his sides as she stumbled.

She let out a small chuckle, breaking some of the tension, and wrapped her arms around Shikamaru's torso for a hug. "Thank you for tutoring me."

Shikamaru's smile ghosted over the skin of her temple, his arms circled her frame and he tugged her more firmly into him. "You're welcome, Sakura."

Tension still twisted her body, but she felt herself melt into him and his comforting masculine scent as his body heat engulfed her. He held her for a long minute, her head resting on his shoulder and her breathing finally levelling to something slower and deeper.

"Go to sleep, okay?" he muttered next to her ear and Sakura nodded, reluctantly breaking away from him.

"Goodnight, Shika," she murmured, watching with pleasure as a small blush overtook his features at the nickname.

Deciding she better go before she dragged him in for another round of kisses, Sakura turned around and left the kitchen, barely hearing his whispered response, "Goodnight, Sakura."

Sakura smiled to herself, hand pressing over her sternum where her heart still raced. She passed a still snoozing Chouji and soundlessly padded up the stairs. She cracked open Ino's bedroom door and slipped back inside. Her friend rolled over as she laid back down, grumbling something incoherent that made Sakura hold her breath, but she remained fast asleep.

Sakura looked up through the darkness to the ceiling, body still buzzing. She could feel the ghost of Shikamaru's touch sliding against her skin, and as she laid there she knew that their relationship —that whatever this was between them- had changed.

* * *

 **Wow, 6K words. These chapters keep getting longer and longer! I hope you enjoyed the little sexiness in this chapter~ Leave us reviews, we love these!**

 **-Rams**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

The chilly autumn winds were soon replaced by a biting cold that announced the approaching winter months. But like clockwork, every Wednesday morning Sakura would find a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate on her desk as she entered Kakashi's class. And every Friday she would buy an extra one for Shikamaru in return.

Shikamaru had officially wormed his way into her life, not that she was complaining. She loved the impromptu decisions to ditch class and visit Tiffany's (at this point they'd sampled all eight variations of pancakes on the menu) and the late-night texts and quiet phone conversations. It warmed her to know that she occupied his thoughts as frequently as he did hers.

It had been easy to fall into a routine, to meet every Thursday at the library to study and sometimes to forget equations and nearly impossible to pronounce medical terms with a more pleasant way to twist tongues. It made all of the studying for semester finals much easier to bear.

Yet, that also made the coming break harder to face. They'd completed the last brain melting exam of the week and to celebrate, Sakura invited him to her apartment for dinner and a movie. She also had news to share, and she wasn't quite sure how to tell him.

So she put in extra effort, ordering grilled mackerel since she found out it was his favorite, along with those noodles he really enjoyed, and of course, some dango to share afterwards. She had panicked all afternoon, cleaning her place to perfection and trying on several outfits. Ino would be the perfect person to turn to for fashion advice, but that doing so would raise suspicion, but they still hadn't come to the decision to tell any of their friends yet. They didn't even have a label for themselves, not that it bothered Sakura by any means. She was more than content to just be with him.

Staring at her wardrobe despairingly, she huffed, making a decision and then quickly getting dressed. Black leggings disappeared under a thick grey skirt. A large but thin teal sweater with matching grey dots and buttons clung to her form and its round open neckline showed off the simple charm necklace she wore. She fluffed her hair with her fingers and tucked stray strands behind her ears. She considered putting on makeup, but she'd taken so long to get dressed that she worried she didn't have enough time.

There was a loud knock on the door and she rushed to answer, securely shutting her bedroom door behind her. It was a mess after raiding her closet, and she didn't want him to see it like that. Her excitement faded a bit when she realized it was just the delivery man. She paid for their food and then set it at the table just as there was another knock.

This time she knew it had to be him, and her heart pounded erratically with excitement as she opened the door. Shikamaru looked as handsome as ever, clad in dark jeans and an equally dark leather jacket. Hints of his navy blue shirt poked out near the collar as he leaned in her doorway.

"You look lovely," he complimented, a half-smirk gracing his lips as his eyes raked up her body.

She could feel her face warm as she smiled back and murmured a thanks. "Come in."

He handed her a bottle of sake as he stepped inside. "Since we're celebrating," he explained and she grinned at him and shut the door behind him, only to freeze as she spun around, nearly bumping into him. He chuckled as he swept his knuckles down her cheek. "Tomato."

She sighed and pushed him further into her apartment. "Go, before the food gets cold!"

He toed off his shoes and then followed her to the table. "It smells really good."

Sakura began unpacking the boxes from the takeout bag and hummed in agreement. "I got your favorites."

His brow quirked, but he smiled. "You didn't have to."

"I just… wanted this to be a good night."

She could feel his eyes on her as she moved to throw away the bag and pull out a couple dishes from the cupboard. "Did you have any doubts that it wouldn't be?" he teased.

Sakura's pace faltered as she set the plate in front of him. She knew she was going to have to tell him, but she was hoping it would've waited until after dinner at least. He must have picked up on her worry because he reached out, his hand cuffing her wrist. "What is it?"

She looked up and met his calm yet curious gaze. His eyes were always so warm and understanding when focused on her. She sat with a little sigh. "I wanted this to wait, but… I guess I should get it over with."

He turned her hand over, rubbing his thumb along the pulse point of her wrist soothingly. She stared at his hand over hers, and already knew how much she was going to miss it. "I'm leaving town for a while."

His hand stilled and she couldn't bring herself to look up at him. "When? For how long?"

"I leave Wednesday to go back home and visit my parents."

"Well, it's good for you to go be with your family, even if that means I'm going to miss you like crazy." His caress began up again, his fingertips tracing her veins. "When will you be back?"

"Not until after the new year," she mumbled.

Shikamaru didn't respond right away, and she had been nervous enough to tell him, but now she could feel the anxiety ball up within her stomach. She looked up to face him, but found that he was staring intently at their hands, just as she had been doing a few moments ago.

He took a deep breath and nodded, almost solemnly, before smiling at her. "That's okay, Sakura, you should be with your family during the holidays. And a couple of weeks isn't _that_ long, you know. Besides, if I miss you too badly, I can just go stare at the tomatoes at Miki's and-"

She playfully pushed his arm, biting back a grin. "If you miss me that badly, just tell me. I'll send you a picture. Can't have people questioning your sanity."

"My sanity?"

"What else are people going to think if you just stand in the produce section all day long staring at tomatoes?"

He chuckled and slid his hand down to curl his fingers around hers. "You didn't have to be so nervous to tell me that. I know how important family is, even when they're a total pain. We still have ways to talk to each other. It's not like I won't ever get to see you again, although I'm sure it'll feel like it until you return."

Sakura could feel a grin tug at her lips. "Why do you have to go and say things like that?"

He cringed, but laughed - warm and hearty. "Was it that corny?"

She lifted her other hand and pressed her fingers together. "A bit, but… you really make me wanna stay."

Shikamaru leaned forward and Sakura found herself mirroring his movements, meeting him halfway for a kiss. His lips were always so soft and inviting, she could kiss them for hours. But Shikamaru pulled away with a soft hum. "Shall we eat?"

She nodded and then sat back, opening the containers. His eyes lit up at the grilled fish. "You're too nice to me," he commented happily as he dug in.

After eating some and working up a thirst, Shikamaru opened the bottle of sake that they enjoyed at room temperature. Conversation flowed freely as they reminisced about classes, and how fun or disastrous they had been.

"I'm just really glad it's over for now," Sakura sighed happily, dumping the empty container of her food in the trash.

"Me too," Shikamaru chimed in as he helped her round up the empty food packets and throw them away.

"You can start setting up the movie if you want, I'll just make us popcorn and be right there with you."

Shikamaru nodded and headed over to the entertainment center where he picked up a couple of movies that had been set out. He hadn't seen either movie, and told her so, and then he flipped them over to read the backs.

"Pick whichever one then!" she encouraged.

The steady popping of the popcorn echoed in the background and he decided on the "action-packed" spy movie. Sakura watched as he fumbled with the remote to the DVD player. He was so damn cute it should be illegal. She pulled the bag of popcorn from the microwave and dumped it into a large bowl as he inserted the disc.

She switched off the kitchen light and joined him at her sofa, tugging the remote from his fingers with a chuckle and pressing play. As they got situated on the couch, Shikamaru lifted his arm to wrap it around her shoulder; she fit perfectly into the nook of his arm and settled in against his side.

Setting the bowl of popcorn atop her lap and grinning, she held a piece to his mouth in offering. He snatched it between his teeth with an airy laugh and then the opening sequence began and their attention was turned to the screen.

The movie had started out promising, keeping them glued to the set up as they mindlessly munched on the popcorn. Sakura tried to ignore how wonderful it felt to be snuggled up beside him, but it was difficult to when he smelled so amazing. The way he chuckled at a cheesy line reverberated through his chest and she was taken by the feel of his laughter.

Soon it became apparent that even the brilliant acting couldn't save the movie from the terribly predictable plot. It quickly turned into a guessing game, with Sakura and Shikamaru betting each other over what would happen next.

And even when the agent targeted the beautiful mistress of the syndicate's boss, and the corny dialogue was inevitably leading to the obligatory love scene, neither of them had anticipated how steamy it would be.

The atmosphere between them rapidly changed as they watched the actors grope each other; it grew thick with something unnamed, and electric, and familiar. Shikamaru's hand squeezed her shoulder and proceeded to rub gentle circles against her. His touch was deliberate, titillating, moving up, down and across, again and again. Sakura's breath quickened and she shifted the popcorn bowl, boldly resting her hand on his knee, her fingers splaying just on the inside of his leg, caressing the spot there with light, mindless touches to the rhythm of his on her shoulder.

The actors on screen tumbled into bed, panting and pulling at clothes, and Sakura took a deep breath, trying to remain focused on the film and not the delightful sensation of his touch. But it was difficult to do when his hand slid up to her neck, his fingers warm as he softly rubbed her flesh. Sakura's heart stuttered in her chest, and then his touch was moving higher, up into her hair and then through her long, soft tresses.

She could feel his warm breath at the temple of her head before his lips pressed ever so softly to her. Her eyes fell close to soak up the tender feeling, her hand at his knee pressing harder into him. As his lips left her, she opened her eyes and turned to look at him. She could hear the rough breathing of the couple on screen, but she no longer cared about them.

She sat a little straighter and tilted her face towards his as his hand raised to cup her cheek. Their lips met, lightly at first as if each time they kissed was a new experience to savor. His lips were so plush against hers, so damn delectable that she had to have more. As their mouths meshed together again, she hinted at wanting more and Shikamaru graciously gave it to her. Gods, he was so warm, so sure as his tongue swept over hers.

His hand abandoned her cheek, trailing down the expanse of her neck in a slow, purposeful movement. The heat of his palm met her sternum, his fingers sliding across her bared collarbone as his body turned toward her and- Sakura was tingling. Her head was spinning, and it wasn't enough.

Her fingers curled in the front of his shirt, communicating her want, so wonderfully breathless and lightheaded from his kiss.

His touch slid down her arm, the tingles following it, and as he reached for her waist, he knocked the nearly empty bowl of popcorn from her lap.

It startled them apart for only a moment, long enough to trade a smile and a knowing look before he tugged her right into his lap.

Straddling him should have made Sakura, who was rather inexperienced, embarrassed by the position and all its implications. But all she felt was a desire to kiss and touch him, a desire that she had every intention to appease as she wrapped her arms around him and connected their lips once again.

Shikamaru immediately responded, matching her move for move and his hands grasped her sides, holding her firmly as their tongues tangled, as they sighed against one another.

Sakura hands dragged up either side of his neck, cupping his face as she slanted her mouth more deeply against his, pleased by his moan that reverberated into their kiss, and he pulled her against him with a hint of desperation, her pelvis rocking over his with the motion. It only seemed to ignite that spark within as she gripped his shoulders for support. She gulped for air as she broke the kiss, only to quickly reattach her lips to his skin, scattering kisses along his stubble covered jawline and down to his neck.

And then one of Shikamaru's hands skimmed up her back, her neck, and tangled into her hair as he cradled her head with something possessive and dark and… Sakura was simply listening to her body, to his reactions, and doing what felt right– _so, so right._

His voice quivered her name as her teeth scraped against his pulse point, something quiet and raw and it went straight through her, to the darkest depths of her and nearly consumed her. She knew that things were intensifying –rapidly– but she couldn't stop; she didn't want to.

The hand in her hair gently tugged, his free hand coming to cup her cheek and pull her back up to him. Their eyes locked, equally hot; their breaths mingled desperately in the scant space between them. Then Shikamaru pulled her into him, devouring her lips with a yearning more acute than she'd ever felt.

Sakura's world teetered off balance and then her back met the softness of the couch cushions, Shikamaru falling above her. His weight, solid and so damn hot, pressed against her, trapping her there and for a few moments Sakura completely lost herself to the wonderful, foreign feeling of being trapped under a masculine body.

She huffed as he pulled away from the kiss and looked down at her. His dark eyes held her captive as he searched her face; she had no clue what he was looking for, and she didn't dare break the fragility of the moment. She just craved his lips back on hers and the wondrous feeling he inspired in her, subtly shifting beneath him, letting her hands trail down his body to rest at his hips.

The motion seemed to pull him to her by some magnetic force, for he leaned back down, seemingly satisfied with whatever he had been seeking. Their noses bumped as their mouths met and her legs widened a little to allow him more room to fully settled on top of her, his hand curling around her thigh and his body, burning with the same desire the fueled hers, pressed more firmly to her curves.

The heat of his touch bled through her leggings, but Sakura found herself wanting to feel him against her skin. She mewled against his lips as their tongues met more feverishly, stealing her breath for his own.

His hand inched higher, but didn't travel beneath her skirt. Instead, his touch smoothed up over her hip, dipping under her shirt, to let his thumb graze her skin. She inhaled sharply against him as gooseflesh bloomed out from under his fingertips and he kneaded at her silky skin, as if trying to pull her closer, showing her how much he wanted her at this moment.

Sakura gasped as he finally released her lips, blazing a trail of hot kisses down the column of her throat that left her burning, wanting to burst.

She hummed as his tongue laved against the sensitive tendons, her hands eagerly holding onto him. His mouth swept along her collarbones, pressing a hot, open-mouthed kiss to the dip between them while his hand slid upwards, stretching over her ribs.

She arched into him, overwhelmed by the sensation of his lips, his touch, his body heat. She was no longer treading dangerous waters, she was drowning in them.

His body rocked against hers and she could have died right then and there, a pitiful whimper tumbling from her lips at the action. "Shika...maru…"

Some low, primal sound resonated at the back of his throat as he took her mouth again and Sakura felt dizzy, completely overwhelmed by what she could only call desire. She had never taken kissing this far before, but it was so easy to let go and flow with Shikamaru, to follow him into depths she had not yet explored. She could feel his fingers bump into her bra, and new excitement whirled in her gut.

His hand slid over the swell of her breast, and then squeezed –gently, experimentally– and Sakura moaned in response, her hands fisting his shirt.

Exhilaration pumped heavily through her as his thumb caressed the bit of skin peeking above her bra cup, her shirt having slid down from his earlier ministrations to show a little bit of her modest cleavage.

Sakura's teeth sank into his lower lip and tugged with a groan as she felt his pelvis grind into hers in that tantalizing, barely there tug and pull of his hips. He broke away from the kiss with a hitching breath as Sakura's legs slid up the outside of his and circled his hips, pressing them more surely together.

She arched against him, again, breathless at the ripple of tingling lightning that travelled up her spine at their point of contact. Her fingers clutched onto his back, needing an anchor, afraid of drowning in his wonderful heat.

As Shikamaru nipped at her lips, a sharp trill cut through the electrically charged air between them. He paused mid-breath, his eyes wild and fiery as he looked down at her. Sakura's gaze was unfocused, hazy as if she'd just woken from a dream, but Shikamaru was very real and his firm body atop hers was no dream.

The ringing sound came again, and finding her voice, Sakura asked, "What is that?"

"I think it's your phone," he answered, hesitantly withdrawing his touch from her.

Sakura nearly pouted; it seemed every time they had found a rhythm, spiralling down together to that place there was no return from, they were always interrupted. But she wasn't ready to let him go. "They'll leave a message if it's important, or hang up if it's not."

The phone quit ringing and in the silence, she grinned at him. "See?"

He smirked and her heart fluttered as she lifted her hand to brush down his cheek. Her fingers lining the back of his neck as she pulled him back down. Just as she closed her eyes, the warmth of his lips just barely touching hers, the phone rang again.

She groaned in frustration. "Really?"

Shikamaru snorted, shaking his head in dismay as he straightened up onto his knees and away from her. "I think you better get that."

Sakura sighed, sitting up as well and mentally cursing the interrupter to hell. She stumbled as she stood, shooting him a sheepish smile before reaching for her phone to answer it. She looked over at Shikamaru. "Yeah, hi mom. No, I was just watching a movie…"

He chuckled, giving her an answering nod when she held up a finger and then left towards the back of the apartment. Sakura could've whined for how unfortunate the timing had been, and then her mother hadn't really wanted to talk to her about much – just reminding her to pack certain things and that they had made plans for Christmas dinner.

She ended the call as quickly as she could without raising suspicions from her mom. She was nearly as bad as Ino with her sixth sense to sniff out secrets. After ending the call, she shuffled back out to the living room and placed the phone back onto the receiver. "Sorry about that," she muttered.

She sat next to him with a sigh, her body and head having cooled off after talking with her mom. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and placed a soft kiss to her head. "It's alright."

She glanced to the movie and then to the bowl on the table, realizing Shikamaru had cleaned up the spilt popcorn in her absence. "I would've gotten that."

"It was my fault," he reasoned, a faint blush dusting the apples of his cheeks.

She sighed but then let a tentative smile grace her lips as she tilted her head to the side and pressed a kiss to the redness in his cheeks. "Thank you."

Shikamaru's grin was almost blinding to look at, his fingers reaching for her sides. "Getting all sentimental, eh? We're supposed to have fun."

And with that, mischievous fingertips began tickling her and Sakura squealed, nearly toppling off the couch in her haste to get away from him. "Shika!"

"Yes, darling?" He purred, his fingers glancing her stomach. Sakura yelped and jolted away from the ticklish sensation, earning Shikamaru's surprised stare. " _Would you look at that–!_ Is your tummy ticklish, baby?" His grin now held the qualities of mischief and evil and Sakura let out another undignified squeal as callused fingertips found their way up her shirt and along the soft planes of her stomach.

Sweet, feminine giggles and shrieks filled the room as Shikamaru dragged Sakura beneath him and mercilessly tickled her until she was gasping for air and begging him to stop. "Shika! Shika— _ah! Hehehe,_ Shikamaru! _Please!"_

Finally, his touch withdrew and Sakura could breathe. She lay on the couch in a heap, hair mussed and face flushed, eyes alight and sparkling. "You're _so_ evil! Gods I can't breathe..."

He only continued to grin down at her, his hands now smoothing up and down her legs. "What can I say? You're too cute not to be messed with."

Sakura pouted at him, jabbing him in the elbow. "Why do I like you again?"

"Beats me." He tittered leaning down to press a sweet kiss to her lips. "But boy, am I glad you do."

Sakura blushed, mock-punching his shoulder. "Who's getting sentimental now?"

"Right, my bad." Shikamaru chuckled, helping her up into a sitting position and smoothing her hair back into something less messy. "I'm just really going to miss you and I want to squeeze in some quality time before you leave."

Huffing slightly and reaching to help him rearrange her hair, Sakura suggested, "We could always go on a trip or something."

"A trip? Like… a road trip?" Shikamaru arched a questioning eyebrow.

"Um, yeah, if you'd like that." She nodded. "We could go to Suna for a day? I hear the weather is amazing there at this time of the year."

Shikamaru seemed to light up. "That sounds like a great idea. I'd love to go together. How soon Wednesday do you have to be at your parents' house?"

"As long as I'm there that evening it should be fine. I never really told them when I'd be there."

"How about we drive out Tuesday morning and come back Wednesday?" he suggested.

Her lips pursed to the side in thought. "Why not leave sooner so we have more time?"

"Well…" He scratched the bridge of his nose. "Ino wants us to all have dinner Monday to say goodbye. It's supposed to be a surprise so don't let her know I told you or I'll never hear the end of it," he sighed.

She patted his cheek. "Don't worry, I've perfected my surprise face."

A string of chuckles filled the air, and Sakura felt the last of her frustration at being interrupted _yet again_ dissipate. Shikamaru leaned closer to her, tilting her chin up to press one last peck on her cheek, "Do you want to go on a walk?"

If she was being frank, all she really wanted was to pull him closer to her and pick up where they left off before her phone call; but the mood was well gone by now, even when some of the tension still lingered between them. But that was the usual, really. She tried to recall a time when she didn't feel the invisible heaviness hanging over them like a cloud charged with electricity and failed.

And so Sakura nodded, leaning towards him for one last kiss of her own, savouring the taste of his lips with a hum, "Sure, let me just get my coat."

Shikamaru's tongue darted out, swiping over his lower lip like he was trying to hold onto the taste of her, and Sakura hurriedly got up and left as to not fall to the temptation of kissing him senseless. He was too damn much on her senses most times.

Rummaging through her closet, Sakura pulled out her favourite pea coat and shrugged it on, wrapping a scarf around her neck on her way out of her bedroom door.

"Ready to go?" Shikamaru asked from his position by the door, having already pulled his shoes on.

"Yep." Sakura hurriedly slipped a pair of boots on and joined him at the threshold, trying to withhold a smile at the way his eyes swept over her figure and lingered slightly.

Sakura had never found herself particularly attractive; she was pretty when she put the effort into her outfit— maybe with some makeup— but ever since she'd met Shikamaru, she'd been feeling prettier, beautiful even. Especially when he'd seem to struggle to be more discreet about the fact that he was checking her out.

His hand pressed into the small of her back, innocent and comforting and strangely reassuring as it firmly guided her towards the stairs. The butterflies that accompanied his presence never really faded, even after all those weeks of constantly having his company but there was another kind of emotion there now. She'd always felt comfortable with him, since the first time they'd met, but now there was a foreign sense of security there too.

The kind that made her reach for his hand and feel content with the sensation of their fingers interlocking instead of the excited nervousness she used to feel the first few times she'd done that.

His lips twitched into a small smile, his hand closing securely around hers as they stepped onto the sidewalk.

The December weather was cold against her face, the kind of weather that made her want to rub her hands together for heat. Except Shikamaru's body warmth and presence made for a great source of just that and Sakura found herself sighing with contentedness, moving to lean her head against his bicep.

They walked in silence, the road stretching endlessly ahead of them, lined with decorated trees— Christmas was only a few weeks away and with holiday season came the festive moods and celebratory atmosphere that had recently befallen Konoha.

It was a nice time for a walk… a sad time to think about the fact that she was leaving him. Sakura couldn't really explain it without thinking about uncomfortable facts and dissecting her feelings but the idea of being away from Shikamaru made her unbearably forlorn.

His presence had become such an integral part of her routine… his smoke, his motorcycle, the smell of leather that always accompanied him… the raspy note of his voice when he'd call her late at night when he couldn't sleep… the small upward curl at the corner of his mouth whenever he was amused that never failed to make him look that much sexier… all these little things that for a reason or another stuck with her. She didn't want to part with them, no matter how temporary. She'd never really acknowledged just how much comfort she'd drawn from him until then. Until this moment in time when she was painfully aware of the little numbered days that marked the end of their fun times for the next few weeks to come.

And well… maybe she was just selfish, but she wished for an excuse not to visit her parents, which she realised was an alarming thought because Sakura adored her parents. And she, more than many, realised how precious and _temporary_ they were due to the few short calls she'd had in the past.

But there were other, exciting, novel things that had just started to hog her attention lately, like how much she enjoyed being kissed the way Shikamaru kissed her; like she was beautiful, like she was wanted, with the undertones of need and want for more underlining his kiss. Things like the innocent, secure sensation of his hand in hers; as if he drew comfort from her too. Small, maybe insignificant things like the way he looked at her, the way his eyes lingered that made her feel he wanted her like a man wanted a woman, that made her feel sexy.

And they were trivial things in the grander scheme of things because Shikamaru didn't need to do any of the above for her to enjoy his company. But even these things left a lasting impact, and Sakura wasn't ready to let go of any of it yet.

"What's got you all tense?" He asked, and it never really failed to startle her how such a lazy, laid back guy could be so perceptive of people's body language and emotions.

She debated lying to him, maybe giving him a half-answer but another thing Shikamaru was incredibly adept at was sniffing out lies and half-truths. And his trust wasn't something she wanted to shake— she didn't want to risk this comfortable yet fragile stage of honesty their relationship was at. "Nothing just… I'm thinking."

"About?" He prompted when the silence stretched.

"About how much I… well, about how much I don't want to… leave… you…" she trailed off, feeling lame. Sakura ducked her head against his arm to hide the embarrassment burning brightly in her cheeks.

"Oh, sweetheart," he sighed, his hand detangling from hers to wrap around her and tug her against his side. The affectionate name nearly caused her to melt against him and Sakura let out a sigh of her own as her arms encircled his waist.

She nuzzled against him, his voice reverberating through his chest beneath her ear. "You'll be back soon." He pressed a small kiss into her hair. "Don't think about leaving yet. We still have that road trip. Think of how much fun we'll have."

Humming her agreement, they fell back into a more comfortable silence and Sakura couldn't help but smile when she noticed he was tactfully steering them towards Tiffany's for a one last taste of pancake before her departure.

* * *

I **know it's been forever and I'm terribly sorry about that! Deni and I have both been very busy and going through different things. I'm not a big fan of this chapter, besides it was so long I decided to split it into two parts, so another update will be coming very soon ...hopefully, you're more inclined to forgive the absence now.**

 **Awaiting your reviews excitedly! -Rama**


End file.
